Common Craigslist Scams That You Should Know

When it comes to online ads, no website is as well-known as Craigslist. It is in 570 cities in 70 countries around the globe and available in the 5 most widely spoken languages: English, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese. 

This American-styled classified advertisement website is like an all-you-can-eat buffet. You find ads for the smallest items like tickets and tiny computer parts to big ones like cars and apartments.

What you need to note is that Craigslist is not a shopping or eCommerce website. So, it’s no eBay or Amazon! That means there is no single structure set to back transactions done within the site and no coordination with the delivery services for products. That is all up to the buyer and seller to figure out! 

This is where the scammers take advantage of buyers who aren’t aware of the common Craigslist scams! Here are some common scams on Craigslist. 

Fake Money Orders and Checks

There was a time when the only thing worth making a counterfeit was the signature of the person writing the check. Now, even printing holograms and watermarks as security features have become common skills.  Making fake checks is a gold mine for scammers. Today, even genuine-looking checks can be duplicated. The printing technology is available in good supply!

So, as a means of payment, we recommend that you DO NOT accept a cashier’s check or a certified check. Why? It could be a fake check. Fake checks take a couple of days to show they are fraudulent, once deposited. The scammer will have received their shipment by then.  

Some Craigslist users have also been scammed this way and lived to tell the tale. Just learn from others' mistakes and insist on cash when selling on Craigslist. 

Counterfeit or Cancelled Tickets

Scammers often sell fake, used, or cancelled tickets on Craigslist. Imagine trying to get tickets to that concert or game that you always wanted to see. Then you go online and find a seller with really affordable tickets. You immediately contact them, buy, and have them sent over. You wait, getting excited each passing day. But on D-day, you are stopped at the entrance because your tickets are fake! That will ruin a couple of your coming days.

One way to tell fishy tickets is when the price is too good! Concert or game tickets going for a price that is way below the advertised price could either be fake tickets or already cancelled ones. 

Watch out for the price should when you go looking for cheap tickets on Craigslist. That may just be the snare that gets you scammed! Always know the advertised price first, then do your due diligence in checking the ticket numbers with the right ticketing office before you buy. 

Or just head to the physical ticket office and get your tickets. If you want the convenience of online purchases, go to legit ticket sites only. 

When you get scammed on Craigslist you can only flag the seller and report to the site. But if you buy a bad ticket from a legit firm then you could always get a refund or have them replace it. You see, you’re safer off not buying tickets from Craigslist!

Non-Existent Purchase Protection Plan

Craigslist scammers go as far as reassuring buyers that there is a Purchase Protection Plan in place. But there isn’t any because Craigslist only does ad listing. It does not facilitate any process related to purchases like payment for goods and delivery service. 

Once you send money to a seller, that’s it! It’s gone! Craigslist will not act on your behalf if you get scammed. 

Fake Escrow Sites

An escrow service exists to create trust between buyers and sellers by having a neutral third party hold funds temporarily, and securely, until you strike a deal. So, it is convenient for transactions that require a lot of money like buying cars and apartments.  

Scammers have exploited the trust placed on genuine escrow services to create fake escrow sites that look legitimate but are not.

ONLY use the known and established escrow sites when you have a large amount of cash to move. REJECT suggestions to use an escrow service that is new or unfamiliar.

Scam PayPal Email

Fake confirmation of payment via PayPal email is a common scam to trick unsuspecting sellers. Scam artists have perfected creating emails that look exactly like genuine Paypal emails except for one small detail: they have a different email address.

A little scrutiny can save you money here. Simply look at the email address claiming to be from PayPal and you’ll see the difference.

Plus the surest way to check received funds is to simply log in to Paypal and look at your balance. Scam emails from PayPal are very common. Be on the lookout!

Great Rental Apartments on the Cheap

Also called Craigslist housing scams. A common thread for this scam is a really low cost for a beautiful and large living space. It’s one of those too good to be true deals that you should know are fake!

Some scammers look for actual houses that are listed for rent or sale, then pose as the real owners. Always check the address and the ownership of any listing with the authorities before contacting the seller.

ASK to meet in person at the property location to view. Most scammers will say they are out of town to avoid this. Others will say they have work engagements that keep them from meeting you.

SOB STORIES are almost always a dead giveaway of a Craigslist housing scam in the making. If you hear stories about accidents and deaths that have made one move, it’s quite likely you are being set up. That level of personal information is unnecessary and unwarranted, not to mention unprofessional! But it works to soften you towards the seller.

Just steer clear of such sellers.

Phishing Email from Craigslist

Email spoofing is a hacking trick that scammers use to try and break into your email account. This is how it works: They send an email that looks like it’s genuinely from Craigslist. Usually with requests to verify your account by following the given link. Only that the link goes to a fake Craigslist site.

When you login in to verify, they get your password and gain access to your email. Some links direct you to download an attachment, while others are to install software or receive messages on your phone. All these tactics are used to gain personal information.

How to Avoid Craigslist Scams

• Always meet in person to verify the product. This will give you a true picture of the real condition of the product. If there was no product to begin with, a meet-up will show you.
• Check ticket numbers with a legit authority before purchase. Used tickets are logged into the system checking the numbers will reveal if their good to go. 
• DO NOT accept payment through checks or money orders. The fraudulent check scam works because checks take up to 5 business days after deposit before they can be spotted as fake. By that time the scammer will be long gone and the bank will hold you liable.
• STAY AWAY from deals that look too good because they most likely are. Do your due diligence to verify the deals.
• NEVER send payment in advance before looking at the product. The actual condition may not match the price quoted. Or there may not be any product at all!
• CHECK apartment listings to verify the address given corresponds to the place given. Use Google.
• NEVER respond to emails with links to personal information logins, attachments or prompts for software installation from craigslist. They are fake.
   

Reporting a Craigslist Scam

If you have been targeted by a scammer on Craigslist, you can report them to the relevant authorities as well as Craigslist themselves. Here’s how you can report a Craigslist scam:

United States

• Internet Fraud Complaint Center
• FTC complaint form and hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)
• Consumer Sentinel/Military (for armed service members and families)
• SIIA Software and Content Piracy reporting
• Ohio Attorney General Consumer Complaints
• New York Attorney General, Avoid Online Investment Fraud

Canada

• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or 888-495-8501 (toll-free)
• If you are defrauded by someone you met in person, contact your local police department.
• If you suspect that a Craigslist post may be connected to a scam, send them the details.