Craigslist 101: How to buy and sell safely (2024)

Anna Marie Ronning of Minneapolis couldn't even give away an entertainment center on Craigslist. A little creative marketing was needed. As she and her kids were baking peanut butter cookies, they decided to change the subject line to "Free: Plate of melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter cookies with furniture."

Not only did someone arrive quickly to pick up the cookies and entertainment center, but her ad was chosen as the "best of Craigslist." More than a few responders said they didn't need the furniture but asked for her cookie recipe.

Most Craigslist transactions like Ronning's take place without incident. She also has bought more than 75 items through the popular classified-ad website with no problems.

But Craigslist (minneapolis.craigslist .org) also has become synonymous with scams and tragedy, based on news reports of crimes committed using the site's free classified ads. It's enough to scare novices away from using the world's seventh most popular English-language website, which attracts 50 million visitors monthly.

So, for those who have yet to dive in, I asked readers to share their tips and experiences as buyers and sellers on Craigslist. Many wrote that once you ignore the fake, generic responses from people who ask, "Is your item still available?" and the scammers who want to pay you with a money order or wire transfer, the buying and selling experience can be relatively painless.

Safety tips

• Bring another person along when buying or selling to minimize the chance of robbery.

• Meet the buyer at his or her bank for large purchases such as a car. The buyer withdraws the cash and hands it to the seller -- or the seller can get a bank check instead -- and the buyer takes the car.

• Meet in a public place for smaller items. Bring a cell phone, and tell a family member where you're going.

• Stick with local buyers and sellers. Anyone who is "out of the country" or "out of the state" is a red flag.

• Avoid anyone who asks for a wire transfer.

• Provide a cell phone number or other number that can't be searched online for a home address.

• Don't give your home address to a buyer until you've had a chance to talk by phone and the buyer provides a number.

• Don't include personal information in your ad, such as a home address, e-mail address (use Craigslist's anonymous e-mail address instead) or landline phone.

Buyer tips

• Deal only with sellers who accept cash. Wiring funds via Western Union, Money Gram, PayPal or other services for a transaction is not a good idea.

• Ask if items, especially furniture, come from a smoke-free or animal-free house to avoid odors.

• Negotiate in front of the seller when you're standing there with the cash.

• Be cautious when buying tickets sold by people who won them from local radio stations. In some such cases, tickets are not issued and must be claimed on the day of the event at the venue by showing an ID, which won't match up when resold. It's always best to buy physical tickets only.

• Bring exact change.

Seller tips

• Know spam when you see it. If a potential buyer sends an e-mail asking, "Is your item still available?" instead of mentioning anything specific about it, it's probably spam.

• Write a specific title. "Must sell" or "Want to sell" are useless. Try "Brown leather sofa in pristine condition for $500" instead.

• Include photos, size, dimensions, color and other pertinent details, even the original purchase price.

• Try a small price instead of "free." One seller had more luck selling an old sofa for $20 than when it was posted as "free."

• Tell buyers that the first person to show up with cash gets it. No holds. Many sellers report frustration with buyers who don't show when they say they will.

• Tell buyers that the price is non-negotiable for the first day or two (unless you are willing to negotiate).

• Accept cash only. Have directions to the nearest cash machine handy if the buyer shows up with a check.

• Remove sold items from Craigslist immediately to avoid more calls and e-mails.

• Know that most buyers are looking for garage sale pricing. It's easy to go back into your ad and lower the price.

• If giving stuff away, put "curb alert" in the title before the name of the item. One seller said that nine times of out 10, her items are gone within an hour when she puts freebies outside.

Tips are from Anna Marie Ronning, John Quast, Matt Jung, Ronald King, Pat Watson, Chris Trinh, Laura Bahr, Patrice Lott, Robb Hignite, Steven Rothberg, Alicia Vap, Scott Gurrola, Joe Gangelhoff, Dylan Corbett, Julie Warner and Gregg Quam.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at www.startribune.com/blogs/dealspotter.

Craigslist 101: How to buy and sell safely (2024)

FAQs

What is the safest payment method when selling on Craigslist? ›

One of the most important Craigslist precautions is to be wary of scammers. In almost all cases, you are best off accepting cash for a Craigslist sale. Personal checks can bounce, and scammers can fake cashier's checks and money orders.

How to buy from Craigslist safely? ›

6 WAYS TO AVOID GETTING SCAMMED ON CRAIGSLIST
  1. Deal locally. It's always safest to finalize a transaction in person. ...
  2. Examine the product before finalizing a sale. ...
  3. Don't accept or send a cashier's check, certified check or money order as payment. ...
  4. Use cash — safely. ...
  5. Don't share your personal information.

What should I be careful of on Craigslist? ›

There are some common Craigslist scams that you can spot quickly and avoid once you are familiar with how they work.
  • Middleman scam. It's a common scam in the rental industry. ...
  • Escrow fraud. ...
  • Job scams. ...
  • Email recovery scams. ...
  • Buyer scams. ...
  • Seller scams.
Jan 10, 2024

How do you sell on Craigslist for beginners? ›

How to sell an item on Craigslist
  1. Select your location if it's not already set to the right city. ...
  2. If you're selling a personal item, you probably need to choose "for sale by owner," then click "Continue." ...
  3. Complete the form to indicate what you're selling and include as many details as possible for potential buyers.
Nov 12, 2020

What is the safest way to receive money from a buyer? ›

Cashier's checks are advantageous when used to cover the cost of large, person-to-person transactions like car sales. They are seen as a safer form of payment over a money order because they are considered guaranteed funds. They also have no upper limit and can prove the buyer's good standing in the issuing bank.

What should I not do when selling on Craigslist? ›

In any Craigslist transaction, never give out personal or financial information. Always meet in person, bring a friend, and deal in cash or use a secured or proxied form of payment such as PayPal to avoid giving your credit card information to the seller.

Should you put your phone number on Craigslist? ›

Scammers are getting pretty sneaky and are collecting personal phone numbers through Craigslist Ads. Case in point, when you're placing an ad or responding to an ad, avoid using your personal phone number to communicate with buyers or sellers.

How to identify a Craigslist scammer buyer? ›

Craigslist does not back any transaction on its site. If you receive an email or text trying to sell you purchase protection, you're looking at a scam. There is no such thing as a Craigslist voicemail service. If a contact asks you to access or check your “Craigslist voicemails,” you're dealing with a scammer.

Why do Craigslist buyers ask for a phone number? ›

If a Craigslist scammer has your phone number and gets you to verify a code sent to that number, they can use it to open a Google Voice account. With that account, they can continue running scams using your phone number.

How to spot a fake Craigslist ad? ›

Here are a few quick tips for spotting Craigslist scams:
  1. Avoid deals that seem too good to be true.
  2. Look out for ads that display a sense of urgency.
  3. Watch for deals where the seller asks for money upfront to secure the item.
  4. Be smart about how you pay.
Oct 19, 2022

How do I sell on Craigslist safely near me? ›

Tips for safe selling on Craigslist
  1. Never give out your address to any buyer.
  2. Meet buyers in a visible, public, well-lit place, such as a police station or grocery store parking lot.
  3. Take a friend with you or let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.
Jul 25, 2022

How to spot a rental scammer on Craigslist? ›

What are the most common signs of a rental scam? Rental scams often have listings with prices that seem too good to be true. They might pressure you to make quick decisions, ask for rent or deposit without a signed lease, or avoid meeting in person.

How does buying on Craigslist work? ›

Listings on Craigslist are just like traditional newspaper classified ads. All transactions are between you and the seller; Craigslist is just the “middleman.” That means when you purchase an item from a Craigslist seller, expect to pick up the item in person and pay in cash.

What is the fastest selling item on Craigslist? ›

12 Items That Currently Sell the Most Money On Craigslist
  • Home Appliances. Gently used or well-maintained appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers are always in demand. ...
  • Furniture. ...
  • Electronics. ...
  • Cars and Motorcycles. ...
  • Power Tools. ...
  • Sporting Goods. ...
  • Garden Equipment. ...
  • Tech Accessories.
Jan 24, 2024

How does Craigslist make money if it's free? ›

Craigslist's business model is based on providing a free classified advertisement platform to users. They generate revenue by charging users a fee to post some types of ads in select cities and by running paid banner ads.

What's the best way to receive payments on Craigslist? ›

Craiglist Safety Tips for Sellers
  1. Meet in a public place if selling face-to-face.
  2. Request cash payment when exchanging in person.
  3. If you're shipping your item, use a service such as PayPal for more security.
  4. Never accept a money order; this is usually a scam.

Which payment method is the least risk for a seller? ›

With cash-in-advance payment terms, an exporter can avoid credit risk because payment is received before the ownership of the goods is transferred.

What payment method to use to not get scammed? ›

By and large, credit cards are easily the most secure and safe payment method to use when you shop online. Credit cards use online security features like encryption and fraud monitoring to keep your accounts and personal information safe.

Should you accept PayPal for Craigslist? ›

It won't matter if your item is $1 or $10,000 if they have your PayPal login. So always remember, insist on cash, in person. Most Craigslist buyers are local, and that's how it should be.

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