Craigslist Scams Hit Vienna

Thinking of posting those old records for sale on Craigslist? Think again.

A number of Vienna residents using the popular classifieds website have run into troubles with potential thefts and scams while trying to sell items, Vienna police said this week. 

Craigslist scams are nothing new, but the Vienna area has managed to avoid an influx of them — until now, Vienna Police Department spokesman Officer Gary Lose said.

"Vienna hasn’t had many of them but they have been seen in the surrounding areas," Lose said.

In July, a Vienna resident told police she posted some household items for sale on the site. She was contacted by a potential buyer, who offered to pay well above the asking price for the items. Just days later, she reported she had received two different money orders from the buyer for a significant amount more than the asking price online.

Suspecting she was the target of a scam, she never redeemed the money orders and instead reported the incident to the police. The victim was advised by police to return the money orders and terminate all contact with the buyer.

On July 25, a different Vienna resident posted a listing on the site for his bicycle. According to the police report filed, a potential buyer came to give the bike a test ride, but never returned. Later, a woman called the bike owner to state the bike was hers and that she had contacted the police to report its theft.

When the police arrived, she was unable to prove ownership, and the bicycle was returned to the original owner, who did not press charges.