the OFFER is lower than the BID

There are very rare instances when this can occur.

An example can be when a stock trades on different exchanges (ECN's)

But usually it's indeed assumable that you have bad quotes.
 
I actually hit some options that were pricing like this. It was SINA or SOHU during an extremely volatile open. The option prices were crossed. Made some nickels, then gave some back after one the exchanges stopped honoring their quotes. Learned a little anyway.
 
If its on a nasdaq stock, then 99% of the time its a stale quote. Any arb apportunities are quickly taken.

If its on a nyse stock, then the specialist probably hasn't updated his quote, and you can't execute off it anyways.
 
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