Most people who buy and sell on Craigslist are well-intentioned. But, many are not. Please be careful when buying or selling on Craigslist-type sites, and trust your instincts. Here are some tips for staying safe while selling your stuff.
- Meet your buyer/seller in a public place. This is huge. Criminals don’t want to have any witnesses, and if you meet them at a Starbucks, there will be a lot of witnesses.
- When you meet a buyer/seller, don’t go alone. Criminals are less likely to want to attack two people at once.
- If you meet in a public place, arrive early and park far away so the other person won’t see what you are driving. Some criminals might give you $500 for an engagement ring, and then follow you and steal the cash back.
- If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Never list your home address or any personal information on your online classified ads.
- If you can’t meet in a public place (for large items, for instance), take extra precautions. Have extra adults around, and if possible, move the item outside or near the front door.
- Use a Google Voice phone number. This is another way to avoid giving out personal information.
- Don’t let the buyer/seller see any valuables in your home. In fact, don’t let them in your home at all if at all possible. No potty breaks for buyers/sellers!
- Never let a buyer/seller in your home if you are the only adult in the home.
- Avoid late night meetings. Try to meet when there’s still daylight.
- Don’t buy/sell to people who are overseas. Don’t deal with wired money, transfers, etc.
- Don’t respond to potential buyers/sellers who seem sketchy, give you a weird feeling, or don’t seem serious.
- Don’t trade your safety for a potential deal.
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