Craigslist buyer discovers his $400 washing machine is worthless, then gives the seller a taste of his own medicine: 'It felt good to waste a scammer's time'

Cata Holmes • Writer

Jul 10, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

A man purchased a used washing machine off of Craigslist and tested it in front of the seller to see if it worked. Since it did, he said goodbye and paid $400 for it. Just a few moments after the man left, the machine broke down, and when he reached out to the seller, he didn't respond. To take revenge for being ghosted, he came up with a crazy plan…

Whenever I read stories like this, I picture them in my head like they were a movie. I don't know what it's about them, but the way they are written allows my brain to picture every scene like it was taken from an action film. And this story is no exception.

I can feel and imagine the range of emotions the buyer must have felt when he realized he had been scammed. There's nothing that can feel worse than wasting a lot of money on something you need, only to have your money gone and still no appliance. That's why revenge can feel so sweet most of the time.

The plan the Craigslist buyer thought was amazing, if you ask me. The way he did the needed research to see how he could avenge himself is scripted. And I just loved how the scammer didn't realize he was the one who was texting him, and made the whole plan go around and worked perfectly.

I think we can all learn from stories like this, but with care. While it is great to give a scammer a taste of his own medicine from time to time, it is also good not to get too poisoned with bad feelings, because the only ones who are left sad and sick are ourselves. Yes, I'm telling you this because I don't want to leave you feeling that doing bad things to someone who hurt you is always the answer. Anyways, scroll down and let us know in the comments what your opinion is on this matter, and if you feel that the buyer did right.

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Young man wearing glasses and a black hoodie standing outdoors in a snowy setting, representing an online marketplace buyer, Craigslist user, consumer, or customer involved in a secondhand appliance purchase.
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Front-loading washing machine installed inside a residential laundry area near a window with hanging clothes.
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Row of old commercial dryers in a laundromat with open machine doors.
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