Fraud and Scams on Craigslist (Part 2) – Avoiding Them

Posted by ttblogger on 03/01 at 08:00 AM Permalink
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In our first part on scams and fraud that are commonly run in Craigslist, we looked at how to identify them. In Part Two, we will be looking at ways to avoid them. While some of the measures may seem like common sense, it is amazing how many people still may not take them. Many times this can be either because the fraudster puts pressure, either subtle or overt, on the intended victim (as part of the scheme) or maybe they just don’t know what they don’t know.

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    Posted by Eric  on  03/01  at  01:41 PM

  1. I sold a car a year ago on Craigs list to someone out-of-state. As much as I don’t like Craigs list saying “100% of offers to ship vehicles out-of-state are scams!”, it’s probably close to the truth. I personally delivered a very nice classic Mercedes wagon to the buyer. He paid for the car in cash in full before seeing it. He had lived in Utah and trusted me completely. There was no discussion about price because he fell in love with this car and simply had to have it. I put new tires on it for him because he was so sincere. Certainly, I don’t recommend doing this to sell cars on Craigs list ... however, I am currently offering a nice collectible 1964 Chevy Corvair van which I recently inherited from my late father. I have had serious inquiries from a few other states. The van was used for a unique purpose transporting scale model live steam locomotives between Mill Valley (Marin) and Berkeleys Tilden Park Live Steamers Club. So far, no one has tried to scam me ... but I’m very careful in these situations. I doubt whether any of the inquirers have considered me a scammer either ... though I can’t speak for them. I don’t sell cars for a living ... but I feel Craigs list offers an affordable smile and effective way for me to reach a select buyer. So, at least don’t tell me I shouldn’t offer to sell a specialized vehicle out-of-state. ... and thanks for all your efforts to keep transactions stemming from Craigs list “scam free”. It’s a valuable service you provide.

    2. Posted by Don  on  03/01  at  02:48 PM

  2. The most irritating new spammer developement is “mining” for e-mail addresses by replying to for sale ads with something nebulous like “is this item still available?” You write back and they have your email address and you never hear from them again. My spam has more than tripled until I got wise.
    They also offer tech items at a ridiculously low price and snag all the dummies (me) who fall for this by replying.
    Use a disposable email address when replying.

    3. Posted by Concerned Citizen  on  03/01  at  04:37 PM

  3. I think if you look at some of the comments on the site, there’s enough material for a part 3.  Case in point:  someone left some stuff in their driveway for anyone to take, posted it as a “curb alert\” in the free for the taking section, and then appear to have left the premises:

    “In my ad yesterday I asked everyone to only take the stuff on the tables in the driveway only. I even specified not to go on the sides of my house or the yard. When I left , my daughter said that a women went on the side of my house and took a big plastic purple bin with very important and expensive stuff in it. I really need that back. I have four kids and alot of it belong to them. brand new clothes from their grandmother, both of my daughter’s roller blades that they love so much. my husband computer routers that we were going to hook up to my brothers computer, and other stuff that just wasn’t part of the deal. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring it back. you can just stick it in my drive way if you want. we are not mad, mistakes happen, We just want our stuff back please. The bin was no where near the tables and had just taken from our back porch. Also, a different person took our son’s baby carriage. He is only three. that was no where near the drive way either. please please find it in your heart to bring our things back. I have four kids and there is no way we can replace this stuff. thank you. [...]”

    4. Posted by Merle Breiland  on  03/01  at  04:37 PM

  4. The last thing we need is for the government to intervene.  Just look how our government is totally destroying our country as we knew it.

    5. Posted by moronicidiot69  on  03/02  at  04:37 AM

  5. yes,yes ,the list has changed,now i notice all the ads for laptops are for a commercial company chinese or japanese,they took over the whole list,i’m in nyc,check it out,and its very annoying with these commercial ads,isnt it supposed to be person to person,notco to person,next you will see ads from bestbuy,another thing talking about scammers,about a month ago someone in another part of nyc.astoria advertised windows xp 2 install discsfor $10 with the key,what a steal, i called,drove over,got home ,put the cd in the comp,it was blank,not even formatted,i’m still kicking myself for falling for it,what an A**hole i am,but theres really no way to stop it,even if craigslist charges for the ad,they still come out aheafd,how do you stop it.you have to be more alert and on your toes, an example,the ads for laptops ,sealed box,never used,how do you know,today they can seal the box back up like it came from the factory,why did they buy it and not use it or open the box,my answer is i would not by a laptop from craigslist,when you buy from tiger or geek comp,you gey your warranty,extended warranty,you know if its new or refurbished,and if theres a problem you have a place to call,most retal stores you can buy ext.warranty,but on craigslist your left holding the bag,unless you know and buy a used laptop/desktop for $100 or less just to screw around with it

    6. Posted by craiguard.com  on  12/19  at  12:10 PM

  6. Hi i have been a victim of a lot of frauds and scams on craigslist so i decided to create a website which will post the good and the bad reviews encountered during a transaction on craigslist list, below are the details, please help promote internet safety:check out http://www.craigguard.com
    http://www.Craigguard.com
    What is craigguard????
    CraigGuard.com is a place for you to report your experiences from Craigslist.org. Similar to eBay’s rating system,CraigGuard enables you to search a buyer or seller before you start a transaction with them. It also allows you to promote Internet safety by creating descriptive reports about buyers or sellers you have encountered on Craigslist.org.
    CraigGuard can be your place to shine as a reliable seller or it could be a powerful tool in outing those who don’t play nicely online; bad check writers, scammers, and even dangerous criminals.
    We thank you for using CraigGuard and we hope you tell a friend. As a CraigGuard user, you are helping spread Internet safety awareness and possibly even saving lives, one report at a time.
    New Features:
    Improved Look and Usability
    Required Registration Which Provides More Authentic Reports
    100% Free to Use
    Click here to start your report. Use the search box above to begin your search.
    Why CraigGuard?
    Because Craigslist.org doesn’t have a user rating system like Ebay.com, Craigguard gives users piece of mind when considering a transaction on Craigslist.org.
    Craigslist.org is one of top places online to fall victim of a scam. Craigguard is just one more safety measure you can take to protect yourself.
    Craigguard is monitored daily by a small group of people for spam and other unwanted junk.
    Why not do a good deed and fill out a useful report today about a transaction you have been involved in on Craigslist.org. It could save someone a lot of grief or give a good buyer or seller the credit they deserve!
    How to use CraigGuard
    In this scenario, we will go over how Craigguard could help someone buy an item or service from Craigslist.org:
    Browse Craigslist.org for an item or service.
    Find an item or service that interests you and then contact the seller.
    Gather the seller’s name, location, or items or services they commonly sell.
    Take that information and use the Craigguard search engine to find positive or negative reports about the seller from past buyers. (i.e. a buyer could be known for selling defective products or by always giving good deals)
    In this scenario, we will go over how Craigguard could help someone sell an item or service on Craigslist.org:
    Gather the buyer’s name, location, or items or services they commonly buy.
    Take that information and use the Craigguard search engine to find positive or negative reports about the seller from past sellers. (i.e. a seller could be known for writing bad checks or by always providing a prompt and valid payment)
    In this scenario, we will go over how Craigguard could help someone who has already bought or sold and item or service on Craigslist.org:
    Gather the seller or buyer’s name, location, or any other specific information.
    Go to the Craigguard report form. Select either Buyer Reports or Seller Reports, click New Thread and complete the form with truthful and descriptive information; be it positive or negative.
    By taking just a few minutes to create a report, you can help make Craigslist.org a safer place on the net!
    Promote Internet Safety
    Copy and paste the code in blue to embed the CraigGuard logo onto your website or next CraigsList posting. Show everyone that you promote internet safety and that you are a honorable buyer or seller.

    craigguard in Media:
    http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/04/22/craigslist-safety-using-craigguardcom/
    [url]
    http://www.boston.com/business/technolo ... er/?page=2[/url]

    http://www.fox2now.com/ktvi-craigguard-043009,0,2550812.story

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