Firewood cord scammers lurk in C. Oregon

Steve Crowson is a veteran and avid Duck fan. He uses his electricity to blow up a giant Oregon Duck mascot in his lawn and for very little else.

“In the summer, it’s not that bad. It’s like 50 bucks a month,” Crowson said.

In the winter, it can get pricey So Crowson buys cords of firewood to get through. He says he used to chop it himself, but his rheumatoid arthritis has put a stop to those days. He uses at least four cords a winter, and this year he decided to get them through Craigslist.

The website has quite a few options, as far as firewood goes, and the prices vary. Cords are going from $30 to $900. Crowson bought his for $140 a cord.

“That’s why I grabbed it. At the time, it was the best price,” Crowson said.

He paid $560 total. Firewood-cutting permits sell for $10 a cord from retailers. Many of the people selling on Craigslist are increasing the price by thousands of percentage points. Crowson said it seemed like a decent deal, until his son started chopping it up in the backyard.

“I kept measuring it as we were stacking it,” Crowson said.

A cord is 4 by 4 by 8 feet. Crowson says he measured at most three cords. He didn’t get a receipt, so there’s no way to get that money back, and the couple who sold it to him changed their number.

“It’s all part of a learning, I guess. You’re never too old to learn something,” Crowson said.

He said if he ever does it again, he’ll go through someone a friend recommends and get a bill of receipt.

Here’s a site with plenty of information about firewood cutting and purchasing: http://www.chainsawjournal.com/how-much-is-a-cord-of-wood-and-more-firewood-facts/