advice re:trading s3 for note - on Craigslist?

[jsn-to]

Sorry if this in wrong thread.
I have (and love) samsung s3 on Bell. I want the Note 2. I am looking on Craigslist but I don;t have a good feeling.

Whether I trade for the Note 2 or sell my s3 what should i look for?

There is a place selling the Note 2 for between $550 and $600. Is that the going rate? Could i be buying knockoffs somehow? Is there a model that isn't really a full note2?

What else should i be asking? Sorry again - help?
THanks
jim N

[CDMAHater4Ever]

Craigslist is risky, you risk getting a broken or stolen phone dealing with it. Never deal with CL it's dangerous! Sell it on Amazon and take the money and buy a new one. eBay is also risky (a buyer can claim you sent them a box of rocks and PayPal ALWAYS rules in favor of the buyer.)

[jsn-to]

Thanks for the practical advice and your reply. I guess, then, I am wondering, if I go to some of the people on Craigslist that seem to have a storefront (from the amount of ads posted), if someone knows the exact model - I don't want to end up with a Note 2 that was destined for the Kazikstan market with an inferior processor (or something). No offense to Kazikstan - I just meant is there a way to determine that i am getting the mainstream model intended for NA market.

And thanks for any replys
Jn

Craigslist is risky, you risk getting a broken or stolen phone dealing with it. Never deal with CL it's dangerous! Sell it on Amazon and take the money and buy a new one. eBay is also risky (a buyer can claim you sent them a box of rocks and PayPal ALWAYS rules in favor of the buyer.)

[Heavy Fluid]

Craigslist is dangerous? Crossing the road is dangerous. Jumping out of a plane is dangerous. I wouldn't automatically dismiss Craigslist as an option. If you are careful, and can read people well, I think that Craigslist is a great place to buy and sell. I have bought and sold plenty of phones in person on Craigslist. For every 10 good transactions, there might be a scammer here and there, but if you are smart and don't rush things, you can usually avoid those.

[DRNewcomb]

I've done some trading on Craigslist and always felt like I was engaged in something shady. "Meet me in the parking lot of the abandoned service station." sort of stuff. It worked out but it seems like something underhanded.

[CDMAHater4Ever]

Craigslist is dangerous? Crossing the road is dangerous. Jumping out of a plane is dangerous. I wouldn't automatically dismiss Craigslist as an option. If you are careful, and can read people well, I think that Craigslist is a great place to buy and sell. I have bought and sold plenty of phones in person on Craigslist. For every 10 good transactions, there might be a scammer here and there, but if you are smart and don't rush things, you can usually avoid those.

I've purchased three vehicles off CraigsList, all three needed new transmissions within a few months. I purchased a netbook which had a bad motherboard. I've purchased game consoles which only work for a few minutes because they need a new laser. I purchased a vacuum which needed a new motor. I know not everyone on CraigsList is bad, but most are, especially if they're selling small things like phones and stuff. These usually sell for more on eBay/Amazon, if they're being sold on CraigsList it's probably because they're broken and cant be sold on sites that use reversible payment methods like credit cards.

[Heavy Fluid]

Buying a used vehicle is always a risk unless you have it inspected by a mechanic. I bought a used car from a dealer, and grenaded the engine less than 3 weeks later. Turned out that the crankshaft snapped in half. No cause, no reason why, it just broke. Destroyed the entire motor. The car also ended up needing a new transmission as well.

Craigslist is still a good place to find a good deal.