Does this Craigslist ad strike anyone else as odd?

[NQ6U]

An ad requesting the donation of a "Yeaeasu ham radio and linear" began running on the San Diego Craigslist a couple of days ago and it just seemed wrong somehow, so I sent a polite e-mail asking for clarification of the organization's non-profit status. What I got back was a series of blustering letters but no confirmation—no IRS number, not even the name of the organization or where it's located.

Here's a screen dump:

http://i815.photobucket.com/albums/zz79/gyrogeerloose/Screenshot2011-09-06at83958PM.png

and a link to the original ad:

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/wan/2572960440.html

Here's the verbatim text of one of his letters in response to me telling him that I was going to contact Craigslist about his ad:


go for it. thats your perogitive. when you get embarasse imhope you feel humbled. i guess if you have no life i feel sorry for you. now no disrespect but i bet you are picking at us and yo couldnt even tell us what frequencies are on the raiom where they start what capabilities or what the linear is for. what other pieces of equipment o you need to set things up? hmmmmmm? also do you nee a license and if you do what are they?

There's more, mostly about how he's not intimidated because he's an ex-cop and an elder in his church, all written in the same semi-literate style.

So, what do you all think? Scam?

[NA4BH]

Egg him on, tell him you know where an AL-80B amp is for cheap (praise the Lord). And you can get an old Swathmore Double Sideband in almost mint condition, with Morris Code capabilities that has been tweaked. Hell yea, it's a scam.

[W2NAP]

send him a washer

and i mean a washer.. maybe even a microwave or two... all non working of course

[KG4CGC]

Probably going overseas, eh?
Got a bite today on my tourmaline. The isp was in San Fransisco and the email traced backed to London.

[N8YX]

IIRC, someone on QRZ posted a link to same.

Crap has been going on for decades - this type used to advertise for freebies in QST back in the day.

Either report it to Craigslist or someone besides yourself needs to have some fun with the "lad". Who, I strongly suspect, is the faithful embodiment of every basement-dwelling, Internet-using caricature that's ever been drawn up.

[N7YA]

I say its Russian. Ive been approached before for an old rig i had in the same manner. They claimed it was going to schoolkids...i unpacked it after thinking about it.

[KJ3N]

.... all written in the same semi-literate style.

So, what do you all think? Scam?

Tea Bagger. :stirpot: :lol:

[N7YA]

So, yes....a scam. :yes:

[N8YX]

Tea Bagger.

Sounds more like one of the entitlement crowd to me. Besides that, which part of San Diego has "back woods"?

ETA:

Anyone have a way of checking that tax ID?

[KJ3N]

So, yes....a scam. :yes:

But, he wants "to spread the wor." :pray:

WDYHA? Are you another one of those American hating, godless, heathen, Sharia Law loving Liberals who wants to destroy the American family with gay marriage and higher taxes on our job creators?

(did I cover most of the Tea Bagger BS?)

[KC2UGV]

Sounds more like one of the entitlement crowd to me. Besides that, which part of San Diego has "back woods"?

ETA:

Anyone have a way of checking that tax ID?

Most states have a NPO search system, to verify 501 status.

[KJ3N]

Most states have a NPO search system, to verify 501 status.

According to this site (http://www.melissadata.com/lookups/np.asp), the tax ID is supposed to be 9 digits. The one given in the ad is 10 digits. :chin:

[N7YA]

Sounding more scammier as we go.

[WØTKX]

WOR!

What is it good for?

Absolutely Nothing!

(say it again)

[NQ6U]

Sounds more like one of the entitlement crowd to me. Besides that, which part of San Diego has "back woods"?

ETA:

Anyone have a way of checking that tax ID?

The guy says that that isn't his tax ID, it's a phone number and he refused to give me the actual tax ID when I requested it. I did search for "Deal Inc." in the IRS database of non-profits and came up empty.

FYI, San Diego County doesn't have much in the way of back woods, being semi-arid as it is, but it does have an extensive area of remote and rugged back country. Think about it this way: SD County has about the same land area as Connecticut and less than half of it is urbanized.

[W3WN]

I'm not sure if it's a "scam" per se, but no, it doesn't smell right.

If it's a legit church or mission group or whatever, doing legit missionary work, you ought to be able to get straight answers. That you couldn't is a red flag right there.

A quick search of that phone number reveals this: http://www.manta.com/c/mtb9mlb/distinguished-ethnic-actors-league-inc which matches the "deal inc" indicated in the ad. That, in turn, leads to this: http://www.corporationwiki.com/California/Los-Angeles/distinguished-ethnic-actors-league-inc/44330273.aspx & http://www.manta.com/g/mtb9mlb/paul-marshall. The organization's articles of incorporation were filed in October 2005, and according to the state of CA, it is currently listed as inactive.

And it is, or was, an LA based group, not San Diego. As I'm not from the left coast, I don't know how significant (if any) a difference that is. Also, one of the two principals listed is shown as being from Ontario, CA... again, that may or may not be significant.

But is this a "youth organization" or a missionary group, or something else that someone is co-opting for their own purposes?

When you communicated with the "guy" did he give a name, and did it match one of the two shown on either of the two sites noted above?

Personally... like I said, something doesn't smell right. I wouldn't send them a shekel, let alone a rig donation.

[K7SGJ]

It does seem odd, as opposed to even.

[NQ6U]

I found an address for DEAL, Inc.: 112 W 5th St, Los Angeles CA 90013. It's a run-down residential hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/fifth-and-main-s-affordable-future/article_df967296-2da7-5998-b5ac-d02f3bf99902.html

[w3bny]

Really want to know who its for.....



Radio Conejo Clandestina
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b220/Bunnieman/bunny1.jpg
Viva la Conejo Supremo!

[N8YX]

Go check your tire pressure, monkey boys.

[NQ6U]

Go check your tire pressure, monkey boys.

Hey, I resent that! Give me a banana or I'll go off on you!

[KG4CGC]

Someone is using this number to fraudulently solicit donations of vehicles, boats, radio equipment, and other items on Craigslist. Do not give him anything. The phone number is actually that of a business with a suspended business license, NOT a veteran's charity.
http://mrnumber.com/1-323-481-6585

(http://mrnumber.com/1-323-481-6585)http://bakersfield.craigslist.org/wan/2566560273.html

http://www.list-alert.com/craigslist/24351/veterans

http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=3218

[NQ6U]

WOR!

What is it good for?

Absolutely Nothing!

(say it again)

Hey Dave! You need to clear out your PM message box—it's full!