see also
FAQs
How do I know if a Craigslist response is real? ›
Read the email you receive in response to your Craigslist ad very carefully. Look for poor grammar, misspelled words or strange phrases. Many scam artists are from outside the country and may not speak or write English well. They typically send form letters stuffed with big promises hundreds or thousands of times.
Is it safe to text someone from Craigslist? ›Craigslist text scams can start with the other party saying they want to confirm you aren't a scammer. Don't give out any codes sent to your phone, especially if it says it's for verifying your identity. The code is for a Google Voice account the scammer set up using your number.
Why do people ask if it's still available on Craigslist? ›Many of the scams start with a generic inquiry asking if the item is still available or if you are the original owner. The reason for this is to quickly test to see if the seller is responsive. There's generally no mention of the item you're selling or any questions specific to the item.
How do I sell on Craigslist without getting scammed? ›Avoid adding any personal information in the posting, including your name, real phone number or real email address. Always use the generated email address on your Craigslist posts. This creates a random email address, so the poster doesn't have your real email on file.
How can you tell if a Craigslist scammer is selling? ›To identify a scam listing on Craigslist, look for these red flags: prices that are too good to be true, vague or generic item descriptions, poor grammar and spelling in the listing, a sense of urgency to complete the transaction, and requests for personal information or unconventional payment methods.
What can a Craigslist scammer do with my email? ›- Target you with sophisticated phishing emails.
- Find more sensitive information about you — including where you live.
- Attempt to hack into your social media or other online accounts.
- Impersonate you and scam your friends and family.
- Talk to the person on the phone, if possible, about the deal. If you have to email them first to make the initial contact, ask them for their phone number so you can talk more about the item. ...
- Meet the person you're doing business with in a public place, such as a coffee shop. ...
- Complete your transaction in cash.
Ensuring privacy. Craigslist states that it does not share your personal information with third parties or use tracking cookies for marketing purposes.
Can Craigslist seller see my email? ›To protect buyer and seller privacy, Craigslist keeps email addresses hidden. However, even with this security system, you might want to take additional precautions when responding to emails from Craigslist.
Do people not use Craigslist anymore? ›Do People Still Use Craigslist? Absolutely. You can search your local area on Craigslist and find used furniture, cars, rentals, and even jobs. However, because so many Craigslist alternatives exist, it is no longer a one-stop shopping powerhouse when it debuted in 1995.
How do I reply to a Craigslist buyer? ›
- Click "Reply."
- A window with response options will appear. ...
- Make sure the response address is highlighted and copy it to your clipboard. ...
- Now open your email program and start a new message.
- Paste the response address into the "To" field.
The platform detects bad activity and blocks a suspicious user automatically. Since the process is automatic, you might get banned when you post too many ads in a day, or send too many connections to Craigslist from a single device.
Do people still use Craigslist in 2024? ›It remains the leading classified service in any medium. In terms of job postings, there are 2 million listings per month, making it a great option for many job seekers.
How do I accept money on Craigslist? ›- Meet in a public place if selling face-to-face.
- Request cash payment when exchanging in person.
- If you're shipping your item, use a service such as PayPal for more security.
- Never accept a money order; this is usually a scam.
- Credit cards. By and large, credit cards are easily the most secure and safe payment method to use when you shop online. ...
- ACH payments. ...
- Stored payment credentials. ...
- Credit cards with EMV chip technology. ...
- Credit cards with contactless payment. ...
- Payment apps.
Craigslist uses email obfuscation to protect your actual email address from exposure. When you click on the response button in the Craigslist ad, the site generates for you a Craigslist email address. When the other user responds to your message using this address, you receive the message into your real email address.
How do you trust someone on Craigslist? ›In Person Transactions
The overwhelming majority of craigslist users are trustworthy and well-meaning. Nevertheless, when meeting someone for the first time, please remember to: Insist on a public meeting place like a bank or police department. Some police departments have buy/sell areas set aside for meeting.
- Click "Reply."
- A window with response options will appear. ...
- Make sure the response address is highlighted and copy it to your clipboard. ...
- Now open your email program and start a new message.
- Paste the response address into the "To" field.