I was selling a car on Craigslist when I received a text message from the number above that said, "Hello my name is Stephen... Do you still have the car for sale?  If so please reply back to my email address at stephenemmanuel001@gmail.com."  I replied back to his email using a bogus email of mine saying, "Yes still for sale, just posted it today".  His return email back to me was as follows, "I hope it is in good condition? and there wont be any cause of disappointment if i purchase it from you? I want to buy it for my son as a birthday gift and I am ready to pay the asking price. I'm an Ocean Engineer and am currently on sea right now which is strictly no calls. My Mode of payment is PayPal because i don't have access to my bank account online, but i have it attached to my PayPal account. Since I'm requesting this transaction to be done via PayPal, I will be responsible for all the Paypal fees/charges on this transaction, if you don't have an account with paypal, it's pretty easy, safe and secure to open one. Just log on to www.paypal.com. I hope we can make this transaction as fast as possible. Less I forgot, I have a Mover that will come for it once payment is cleared in your paypal account and they will be handling the title for me, as I look forward to hearing from you with your paypal information as requested below.".  After reporting his email to 419 I sent a reply back to him, "Nice try what do you think I am stupid?:

The following message came from a person claiming to be Stephen Emmanuel Ocean Engineer who contacted me within an hour of posting a vehicle for sale on Craigslist.......

I hope it is in good condition? and there wont be any cause of disappointment if i purchase it from you? I want to buy it for my son as a birthday gift and I am ready to pay the asking price. I'm an Ocean Engineer and am currently on sea right now which is strictly no calls. My Mode of payment is PayPal because i don't have access to my bank account online, but i have it attached to my PayPal account. Since I'm requesting this transaction to be done via PayPal, I will be responsible for all the Paypal fees/charges on this transaction, if you don't have an account with paypal, it's pretty easy, safe and secure to open one. Just log on towww.paypal.com. I hope we can make this transaction as fast as possible. Less I forgot, I have a Mover that will come for it once payment is cleared in your paypal account and they will be handling the title for me, as I look forward to hearing from you with your paypal information as requested below.


Your PayPal e-Mail Address :

Full name:

Firm Price:



Many Thanks

Ok I just experienced the exact same thing. Selling a car on Craigslist.  Wow. I have exact email. Thanks for the post.  Something told me this was a little off and when I searched the name Stephen Emmanuel your post showed up. Thanks.

Thanks for the post.  I just got this same message yesterday.  The same day I posted a vehicle on Craiglist.  I too thought is we suspicious.  This person cut and past the same verbiage you indicate below.  If you are an Ocean Engineer (which I really haven't heard of one) and you have access to the internet to send an email, then you should have access to your bank account, which this person indicated they could not access.  Too many other suspicious stuff.  Thanks again...this helps clear things up.

Thanks for the post I got the same message yesterday,when I posted a RV on Graiglist.This person cut and pasted the same verbiage.