Pro tip: That "free piano" ad on Craigslist is a trap

Talked to a moving crew guy last week in Denver who said they've hauled off 12 of those "free pianos" in the last 6 months alone. People just want you to do the heavy lifting, so they slap "free" on it and then ghost you when you show up. Anyone else get stuck with a dusty upright they couldn't even give away?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_amy1mo ago

I mean, I totally fell for this once with a "free" console table. The guy was all nice on the phone, then when I got there he was like "oh yeah, the legs are wobbly but you can fix it" and just walked away. What actually worked for me was asking them to send a photo of it already out on the curb or sidewalk first. If they can't do that, it's usually a sign they want you to go into their basement or something. Also, I started checking if the thing has any obvious damage in the pics before I even reply. Saved me a ton of wasted trips.

matthew_baker26d ago

Locked the door when he knocked? That's wild. You'd think if someone's trying to get rid of a piano they'd at least be there to help you load it. Asking for a curb photo is smart though. I never thought of that but it makes total sense. Saves you from driving across town just to find out the thing's busted up or not even outside.

nathan_torres341mo ago

Always thought people were just being dramatic about the free piano thing until my buddy ended up hauling a beat-up upright across town and the lady locked her door when he knocked. Now I just ask if it's already on the curb before I even consider it.