It seems like everyday I hear about a new Craigslist scam that someone has fallen for. As someone who uses Craigslist all the time but has never been a victim of a Craigslist scam, I do know a little bit about using the helpful website correctly.
Below are some common Craigslist scams that you may be on the website. Whether you are buying an item or selling one, there are many scams out there that prey on the weak and those who don’t know.
Fake PayPal links.
If you ever engage with someone through Craigslist, make sure to never click on any links that you may see or receive in an email unless you are 100% positive that it is a safe link.
Many times scammers will include links to the PayPal website that are very closely similar to the real PayPal website or the link may be cloaked. They are hoping that you will click on their link and log into your account so that they can gain access to your username and password.
Instead, always make sure to log into your PayPal account my directly typing in the PayPal URL into your web browser. This way you can be positive that it is the real PayPal website.
Asking for your personal address.
Unless you feel absolutely comfortable, there really is no real reason for having to do anything Craigslist related directly at your home. I once had a person ask me for my home address and said they would not buy the item unless they had my home address. That is just very odd.
I always recommend going to a public place, and bringing someone with you. You don’t want the person to know where you store your valuable items so I never invite them to my home.
Instead, try a parking lot, a public park, and so on.
Also, before you pay for a service from someone, make sure to search California licenses. There are a lot of imposters on Craigslist.
They send you a check for more than what the item is worth.
This is a Craigslist scam that has been going around for quite some time. This is when a scammer claims to buy you an item and then sends you a check for more than what the item is worth.
They then ask you to refund the extra money. You refund the money and it turns out that their original form of payment completely bounced so you are out of ALL the money now.
Think about it, why would anyone send you more money than an item is worth? It just makes no sense.
Another way to bypass a Craigslist scam is to avoid the site altogether. There are plenty of alternatives to Craigslist that are far more reliable and safe. Charity websites, for instance, are a good idea if you want to get rid of some belongings. You can even donate vehicles to some online charities. Just search for the type of vehicle and the state you’d like to donate in (like California boat donation) and you’ll be able to pick from a plethora of great organizations. Not only do you get to free up some space, but you also help out a great cause.
What Craigslist scams have you seen?
Image via Flickr by TaxCredits.net
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