I just avoided an $1,800 mistake! Somebody tried to use the Craigslist scam on me, and I want to make sure you know how to avoid getting scammed on Craigslist, Ebay, or any other listing site on the Internet. If you’re planning on buying a large item, such as a car, from Ebay or Craigslist, please read this before making your purchase.

I need to buy a skip loader to move rock in my yard, so I started searching across the Internet. I found deals ranging from $1,800 to $25,000, and I responded to three deals. All three were on Craigslist. One skip loader, a Bobcat, was listed for $1,800. Another was listed for $2,500, and the third was $3,500. All of these prices seemed more than fair, and I was skeptical when I saw the prices. As with anybody though, I’m always looking for a good deal, so I bit.

I never received return emails for two of the skip loaders, the two most expensive Bobcats. I did receive a response on the cheapest Bobcat: