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    Top 7 Craigslist Scams

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    Richard
    The document summarizes 7 common Craigslist scams. These include fake or cancelled tickets, non-local ads from scammers not in your area, fake Craigslist sites, scam emails from PayPal, fake money orders or checks, fake escrow service sites, and fake Craigslist purchase protection. It advises only dealing with locals, avoiding non-cash transactions, verifying funds have cleared before sending goods, and using reputable escrow services to avoid getting scammed on Craigslist.

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    Top 7 Craigslist Scams

    Uploaded by

    Richard
    721 views4 pages
    The document summarizes 7 common Craigslist scams. These include fake or cancelled tickets, non-local ads from scammers not in your area, fake Craigslist sites, scam emails from PayPal, fake money orders or checks, fake escrow service sites, and fake Craigslist purchase protection. It advises only dealing with locals, avoiding non-cash transactions, verifying funds have cleared before sending goods, and using reputable escrow services to avoid getting scammed on Craigslist.

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    The document summarizes 7 common Craigslist scams. These include fake or cancelled tickets, non-local ads from scammers not in your area, fake Craigslist sites, scam emails from PayPal, fake money orders or checks, fake escrow service sites, and fake Craigslist purchase protection. It advises only dealing with locals, avoiding non-cash transactions, verifying funds have cleared before sending goods, and using reputable escrow services to avoid getting scammed on Craigslist.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    721 views4 pages

    Top 7 Craigslist Scams

    Uploaded by

    Richard
    The document summarizes 7 common Craigslist scams. These include fake or cancelled tickets, non-local ads from scammers not in your area, fake Craigslist sites, scam emails from PayPal, fake money orders or checks, fake escrow service sites, and fake Craigslist purchase protection. It advises only dealing with locals, avoiding non-cash transactions, verifying funds have cleared before sending goods, and using reputable escrow services to avoid getting scammed on Craigslist.

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    Some of the most common Craigslist scams involve fake or cancelled tickets, non-local ads, fake Craigslist sites, and scam emails pretending to be from PayPal or a fake escrow service. Scammers also try to steal money through fake money orders, checks, or a fake Craigslist purchase protection plan.

    Fake or cancelled tickets, non-local ads, and scam emails pretending to be from PayPal are mentioned as common Craigslist scams.

    The article discusses how scammers try to steal money through fake money orders, checks, and by setting up fake escrow service sites.

    Top 7 Craigslist Scams

    Anne Sraders
    Updated:
    Feb 18, 2020 12:27 PM EST
    Original:
    Sep 13, 2018

    With the advent of the internet, the world has been blessed with a myriad of easy ways to buy
    and sell products or services online -- from eBay (EBAY) - Get Report to Amazon (AMZN) -
    Get Report . But long-time staple of the collective virtual garage sale and ad space -- Craigslist --
    perhaps stands alone as a different kind of animal. The online advertisement site, for everything
    from selling apartments to resumes, has gained popularity among locals looking for a variety of
    services or products. But with every new internet invention to make lives easier comes the
    inevitable opportunity to make them millions of times worse -- hence, the Craigslist scam. And
    for those seeking to take advantage of the public platform, there are a lot of ways to get creative. 

    But, what are some of the most common Craigslist scams, and how can you avoid them? 

    What is a Craigslist Scam?


    Given the nature of the site, Craigslist scams can sometimes be hard to spot. Whether they are
    scams involving fraudulent money services, fake products, or sketchy meet ups, criminals have
    certainly become crafty in figuring out how to best scam users out of their money -- or worse.

    And while Craigslist scams may not always look obvious, there are a few key scams that have
    been used frequently -- and can often be spotted by being extra cautious or by examining the
    situation. 

    1. Fake or Cancelled Tickets


    Ticket scams are among the more common scams on Craigslist -- and elsewhere. While scalpers
    in general can cost you quite a bit of extra cash by buying tickets cheap and selling them at a
    steep markup, you could lose completely if you're scammed into buying fake or cancelled tickets.

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    Some scammers have been able to make fake tickets that look real to a lot of big events like
    concerts or sports games. According to WiseBread.com, some scammers have even replicated
    holograms and watermarks on tickets for concerts or events -- and even for airplane tickets.
    Scammers on Craigslist will often list tickets that are either fake or already cancelled -- making
    you pay through the nose for a disappointment. 
    To avoid the headache, only go through reputable sites like Ticketmaster  (LYV) - Get Report or
    the actual venue -- and for airplane tickets, never use Craigslist to avoid getting scammed. 

    2. Non-Local Ads
    In general, whenever an ad is not local (meaning the person posting the ad isn't in your area), it's
    generally not a good idea to pursue it. Why? Because posters of non-local ads generally won't be
    able to meet up with you and will often require transferring money through some online platform
    (which scammers can use to their advantage).

    Some ads may be from on-duty soldiers in Iraq or other distant places that necessitate online
    transactions that could be fraught with scams. And Craigslist also claims that the service is meant
    for local transactions in most cases -- so beware of the non-local advertisement. 

    While there are certainly some precautions that should be taken when actually meeting and
    conducting a transaction in person (such as meeting in a public place or bringing a friend with
    you), some people that are unable to meet in person (or refuse to) could be scammers on the site. 

    3. Fake Craigslist Site


    Perhaps surprisingly, a lot of people get scammed by using fake Craigslist sites to begin with. 

    In the past, scammers have used fake Craigslist sites with very similar domain names in hopes of
    snagging internet searches from the real Craigslist site and convincing users to trust the fake
    ones. Some of these sites look very realistic and could cost you a lot of money. So keep in mind,
    if any Craigslist site does not have the address http://www.craigslist.org, it's fake. 

    4. Scam Email from PayPal


    Some scammers may use PayPal (or rather, the promise of PayPal) to send or receive money on
    Craigslist. 

    PayPal warns people to be wary of ads that want to use the site for transactions, as many of them
    may never follow through -- or, even worse, they send you a fake PayPal email confirmation of a
    payment. The site cautions Craigslist users that such fraudulent PayPal emails could have
    characteristics that include not addressing you by your full name or that money is being held
    until you perform some action (like sending money through another wire service or using links to
    tracking orders). 

    5. Fake Money Orders or Checks


    Whenever a buyer or seller tries to pay you with a money order or wire transfer -- take that as a
    big, waving red flag. 
    Scammers over the years have developed pretty sophisticated-looking fake packing slips or even
    money orders claiming to be from trusted institutions like Western Union. Often, these scams are
    part of a Nigerian 419 scam, and could entice you to send the buyer your goods before the fake
    check or money order clears.

    To avoid getting duped, don't accept money orders on Craigslist -- and, if you must use a check,
    ensure that it clears before sending what was bought. 

    6. Fake Escrow Service Site


    While escrow services -- a service provided by companies that hold onto money for two parties
    in a transaction until it is complete -- can give you a lot of peace of mind when handling lots of
    cash, they can also be a devious way for scammers to steal your money.

    Scammers set up fake escrow service sites and get you to deposit money -- only, obviously, you
    never get what you bought and you lose the money.

    To avoid getting robbed through a fake escrow service, make sure to only use reputable escrow
    services and suggest picking them yourself when doing transactions. 

    7. Fake Craigslist Purchase Protection


    Even though getting an email or invoice from Craigslist may seem legit, it isn't -- scammers have
    been known to use a fake "Craigslist Purchase Protection" plan to scam users.

    Since Craigslist doesn't back any transaction (and certainly doesn't have a purchase protection
    plan), avoid any email or text that claims to verify or protect your recent purchase (and any
    documents that come with it).

    To ensure you are scam-free, handle your transactions yourself and be very careful to avoid any
    suspicious emails claiming any verification or protection from Craigslist itself. 

    How to Avoid Craigslist Scams


    While some of the most common scams may seem obvious, they are not always as clear. And it
    seems that everyone -- from investors and travelers to people who own bitcoin -- are having
    issues with scammers. 

    So, according to Craigslist's official website, some of the ways you can avoid being scammed
    include not paying people you haven't met in person, never giving out financial information like
    bank account numbers, dealing mostly with locals in your area to avoid shipping scams and
    never using Western Union to send money. 
    While there are many other ways you can avoid getting scammed, ensure you always read every
    listing carefully and do not give out important information that could be used to scam or steal
    from you. And while Craigslist can be a great service, it is best utilized as a local resource.

    Tags
    EducationMillennial FinancePersonal FinanceMoney BasicsHow-to Spend

    By
    Anne Sraders

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