This tutorial is going to offer you some advice on how to avoid craigslist scams.
Step # 1 – Only Deal Locally
Let’s start by navigating the main Craigslist website. As you can see here there are lots of individual sites for cities around the world. It is important to remember that Craigslist is not about buying online, it’s about finding someone selling something then buying in person, from that seller. Therefore you must go to the site that is local to you, scroll down the page and find your city; here we are choosing “New York City”. Let’s navigate to the “for sale” section and click on a posting here. As you can see there is a price and a rough collection address – you should never pay for an item online, only in person.
Step # 2 – Dealing with a Seller by Email
Let’s say we are interested in this item. Click the “Reply” button in the top left of the window. You can then choose what email platform you want to use to contact the seller, here we are using Gmail. You should make it clear to the seller when buying that it will be cash on collection, this will give you a chance to see the item. If the seller emails back asking you to use PayPal, or any other payment service, refuse to deal with them. By following these simple guidelines you will be using Craigslist the right way and will probably be able to avoid craigslist scams.
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