Alert: Avoid Craigslist Scams
Craigslist is a popular free listing service for everything from jobs and rental properties to used products for sale.Craigslist only minimally polices listings on the site.This makes it an easy place for scammers to setup shop. Following these guidelines may help you avoid falling into a Craigslist scammer’s trap.
- Craigslist is not involved in sales. Craigslist only provides a platform for sellers to list items. Unlike Amazon or similar sites it provides no guarantees on sales. It is Buyer Beware.
- Craigslist is designed to facilitate local face-to-face sales, not long distance online sales. Many scams can be avoided by only dealing with sellers who you meet in person.
- Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone you meet through Craigslist.
- Do not use wire services such as Money gram or Western Union to send money to a seller and avoid making or receiving payments via escrow services. Scammers often set up fake escrow services to entice victims.
- Buyers can scam on Craigslist too. Buyer scammers often use fraudulent money orders and cashier’s checks to “pay” for merchandise. If you deposit the money order or cash or deposit the check, the bank will hold you responsible for the funds when it discovers the fraud. If you are a seller, carefully review the payment before delivering the product.
- Do not buy big-ticket items until you have seen them in person, closely examined them and satisfied yourself that the seller is the actual owner and has the right to sell the product. Stolen property is often listed for sale on Craigslist.
- Do not rent property through Craigslist until you have visited it in person, met the owner or rental agent, confirmed their identity and confirmed their right to rent the property.
- When applying for a job or housing through Craigslist, do not give credit or background information until you have met the interviewer in person and are satisfied that he or she is legitimate.
- Call your LegalShield provider law firm if you have any questions or believe you have been the victim of a scam.
To talk with someone in your area (anywhere in the U.S. or Canada) about how to get started or to ask questions, contact Jerry Cohen, Executive Director @ (818) 980-9810 or jcofromusa@sbcglobal.net
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here
