{"id":2661,"date":"2018-02-05T16:26:46","date_gmt":"2018-02-06T00:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/?p=2661"},"modified":"2026-04-28T07:53:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T14:53:05","slug":"craigslist-scams-safety-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/craigslist-scams-safety-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Safety Tips for Avoiding the Most Common Craigslist Scams"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Craigslist has been the internet\u2019s go-to buying and selling marketplace since, well, forever. It\u2019s the only semi-reliable, online place where you can find everything from used cars, to new iPhones, to your new apartment. On the front end, it\u2019s easy to use: a simple, basic interface that even your granny understands. And while it\u2019s easy to post a listing or respond to one, it\u2019s also easy to fall for the many common Craigslist scams. .<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re here to help, and not just with bringing your purchase home (though <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/craigslist-offerup-pickups-dropoffs\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=craigslist-scams-safety-tips\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">we can do that, too<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">!). We\u2019ve put together a guide on the most common Craigslist scams, how to avoid them, and how to stay safe while selling or buying on Craigslist. Whether you\u2019re in the market for a new car or are trying to sell your couch, here\u2019s what you need to know to stay safe and scam-free on Craigslist:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>1. Familiarize Yourself with the Most Common Signs of Craigslist Scams<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2662 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/cl-scam.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"584\" height=\"461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/cl-scam.jpg 584w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/cl-scam-300x237.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/colorado.ourcommunitynow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/cl-scam.jpg?w=584&amp;h=462&amp;crop&amp;ssl=1\">Our Community Now (CO)<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because Craigslist is still the world largest virtual bulletin board, the most common scams are fairly well-known. The best way to avoid them is to be aware of the most frequently used Craigslist scams in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most common Craigslist scams are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Listings that don\u2019t require a credit check for homes, cars, or other used vehicles (usually, this is a way to get your personal information, or put you in crippling debt)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Requesting a wire transfer to either steal your money without giving you anything, or get your bank information<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Posting an item for sale that they don\u2019t have, and including generic photos of the product in question<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spamming Craigslist with dozens (or hundreds) of postings for the same item<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Requesting to use PayPal, then sending you a link to sign up (it\u2019s a phishing scam, so don\u2019t click that link!)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Someone who wants to buy from you, or wants you to buy from them sight unseen (they\u2019re stealing or robbing your identity, plain and simple).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you see one of these common scams, proceed with extreme caution, or better yet, abandon them &#8211; you\u2019ll find something better soon, we promise.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>2. Use Photos to Determine If It\u2019s Real or Fake<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2663\" src=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Screen-Shot-2018-02-05-at-9.48.47-AM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"894\" height=\"481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Screen-Shot-2018-02-05-at-9.48.47-AM.png 894w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Screen-Shot-2018-02-05-at-9.48.47-AM-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Screen-Shot-2018-02-05-at-9.48.47-AM-768x413.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 894px) 100vw, 894px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stock photos are a clear sign of a scam, but even pictures that look more realistic could be fake. It\u2019s always a good idea to reverse search a photo. You ca do this by right-clicking on the image, then selecting \u201cSearch Google for Image.\u201d If you find the photo and it links to anything other than the Craigslist ad, it\u2019s probably fake. If you\u2019re still unsure, ask the contact to send you a picture of the item next to a newspaper with the current date (or have them take a selfie with it). If they refuse, back away slowly &#8211; it\u2019s definitely a scam.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>3. Meet in Public and See the Product in Person<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2664\" src=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-567633-meeting-over-coffee-in-person.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"856\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-567633-meeting-over-coffee-in-person.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-567633-meeting-over-coffee-in-person-300x201.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-567633-meeting-over-coffee-in-person-1024x685.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-567633-meeting-over-coffee-in-person-768x514.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just like when you\u2019re meeting someone from a dating app, you want your first meeting to be in a public place, with plenty of witnesses. Never meet them for the first time at a private home, or invite them to your home before meeting them in-person first. Coffee shops and shopping malls are usually good places, and if you need to go to the seller\u2019s car (or have them come to yours) to see the item in question, choose a well-lit, highly trafficked parking lot with regular parking enforcement and ideally, police presence.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>4. Or Meet at a Designated Safe Meet Up Space<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2665\" src=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/offerup-meetup-location-630x493.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"493\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/offerup-meetup-location-630x493.jpg\">GeekWire<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many community police stations offer their parking lots as a community meetup space specifically for online transactions. They\u2019re usually well-lit, trafficked at all times of the day and night, and loaded with police officers &#8211; many of them will even allow you to make the deal inside, within full sight of a police crew. Or use an official <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ask.offerup.com\/Trust-Safety\/957081741\/Find-a-Community-MeetUp-Spot.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Community MeetUp Space<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which has video cameras on at all times in addition to safety precautions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This isn&#8217;t always possible when buying large items like furniture, so use a Craigslist pickup service like <a href=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/craigslist-offerup-pickups-dropoffs\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=craigslist-safety\">Dolly<\/a> if you aren&#8217;t comfortable going to the buyer&#8217;s home, or vice versa. <a href=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/craigslist-offerup-pickups-dropoffs\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=craigslist-safety\">Dolly<\/a> will send background-checked Helpers to pick up your item &#8211; whether it be a small television or a massive sectional &#8211; from the seller and deliver it straight to your home. You won&#8217;t have to risk going to a stranger&#8217;s home, <em>and<\/em> you won&#8217;t have to rent a truck just to bring it home &#8211; it&#8217;s a win-win.<\/p>\n<h2><b>5. Try Your Luck Elsewhere by Using a <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/5-craigslist-alternatives-for-selling-your-stuff\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=craigslist-scams-safety-tips\"><b>Craigslist Alternative<\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2666 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/20161031_C1021_PHOTO_EN_804985.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1667\" height=\"1667\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/photos.newswire.ca\/images\/download\/20161031_C1021_PHOTO_EN_804985.jpg\">Newswire<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/offerup.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OfferUp<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/us.letgo.com\/en\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LetGo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the rise of the sharing economy has resulted in plenty of Craigslist alternatives, all you can reach without leaving your web browser. If you\u2019d prefer to sell only to known friends, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/marketplace\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facebook Marketplace<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> lets you specify who can see your post: local users, your Facebook friends, or everyone. But if you want to keep it in the neighborhood, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nextdoor.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NextDoor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> allows you to buy and sell, and verifies the addresses of all users, so you know you\u2019re only selling to folks who live nearby.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>6. Safeguard Your Privacy on Your Listing<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2667\" src=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/spam.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"425\" height=\"282\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While receiving text inquiries about your item up for sale is much easier than constantly responding to emails, posting your phone number online is an open invitation for someone to steal your information. Instead, use <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/voice.google.com\/u\/0\/signup\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Voice<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which allows you to select a different phone number from your own, but still accept calls and texts. Your email should always be protected as well, so always use the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.craigslist.org\/about\/help\/email-relay\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">proxy email<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that Craigslist offers when posting a listing on Craigslist. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>7. Don&#8217;t Forget to Privatize Your Location By Removing GeoTags<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2668\" src=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/degeo-v3-scr-13.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/degeo-v3-scr-13.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/degeo-v3-scr-13-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/degeo-v3-scr-13-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/degeo-v3-scr-13-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/degeo-v3-scr-13-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/mobileinfocenter.com\/img\/degeo\/degeo-v3-scr-13.jpg\">deGeo<\/a><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One lesser-known way that identity thieves (or creeps) will steal information about you is from the photos in your listing. You may not know it, but if you took your photos on an iPhone (and some Androids, too), the location where the photo was taken is embedded in the photo\u2019s data. If you took the picture at your home, someone can easily find out where you live from that photo. Be extra safe by using a geotag remover app like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/degeo-geotag-remover-exif-viewer-photo-privacy-tool\/id412472011?mt=8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">deGeo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to keep your frequent locales private.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>8. Keep Craigslist Payments Offline<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2669\" src=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-545065-cash-money-20s.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-545065-cash-money-20s.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-545065-cash-money-20s-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-545065-cash-money-20s-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.taskrabbit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pexels-photo-545065-cash-money-20s-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It may seem nerve-wracking to pay someone in cash instead of through an app, but services like PayPal and Venmo allow for transactions to happen totally online without ever actually seeing the product. And if you pay online, you may never actually receive your product &#8211; or, you get home and find that your product is a fraud. If you\u2019re selling on craigslist, predators may also ask for overly personal information in order to \u201cpay you through PayPal,\u201d but really, they\u2019re looking to steal your identity. In fact, stealing your information or money through PayPal is one of the most common Craigslist scams, so if you can, avoid paying through PayPal altogether (same goes for wire transfers!). But by keeping your Craigslist exchange cash-only, you can be sure that none of your information is wrongly distributed &#8211; and that you get paid in full.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>9. Inspect, Ask About, and Unwrap What You\u2019re Buying<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2670 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/fake-iphone-internal-photo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/fake-iphone-internal-photo.jpg\">Cult of Mac<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t buy if it just <em>looks<\/em> good. Do your research on the product you\u2019re considering, and ask lots of questions about it. Best practice includes googling \u201ccommon problems with [name of product],\u201d and then asking the seller about the issues that are most frequently searched. Inspecting the product in-person is important, too, especially with tech like iPhones. Ask the seller to pull the item out of the box and show it to you, then test it for yourself. Even if it\u2019s shrink-wrapped, be suspicious &#8211; one common Craigslist scam involves you opening the box at home to find that it\u2019s simply a weighted box wrapped in plastic.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No matter what you\u2019re buying or selling, your best rule for craigslist safety is to trust your gut. We can help with that. Let <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dolly.com\/get-started\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=craigslist-scams-safety-tips\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dolly<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> take care of the heavy lifting, pickup, and delivery of your large Craigslist purchases, so you have more time to pay attention to the details. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Craigslist has been the internet\u2019s go-to buying and selling marketplace since, well, forever. It\u2019s the only semi-reliable, online place where you can find everything from used cars, to new iPhones, to your new apartment. On the front end, it\u2019s easy to use: a simple, basic interface that even your granny understands. And while it\u2019s easy [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":30208,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[644937412],"tags":[644937410,644937795,644937796,644937643,644937797,644937798],"class_list":["post-2661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","tag-craigslist","tag-craigslist-safety","tag-letgo","tag-offerup","tag-online-buy-and-sell","tag-privacy-protection"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>9 Safety Tips for Avoiding the Most Common Craigslist Scams | Dolly Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"That brand-new phone selling for half-price on Craigslist looks too good to be true - and it probably is. 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