Trust your instincts when vetting buyers.

Legitimate sellers typically provide detailed information about the item or service.

Even if you don’t detect anything suspicious (but especially if you do), follow these best practices whenever you buy or sell through craigslist:

Avoid becoming a victim by understanding how they operate and what types of tactics they use.

Use a secure form of payment.

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Provide or accept payment before meeting in person.

Home and apartment rental scams.

If you're on craigslist, you should take heed to protect yourself with these simple tips.

First, we’ll look at the various scams and then we’ll talk about how to avoid them.

Fortunately, craigslist has instated a few deterrents in the system over the years, but scammers continue to find clever ways around them.

This can help you avoid falling victim to craigslist scams.

Requests to pay with gift cards are scams.

If you don’t plan to use a real estate agent to look for a house or apartment, be on high alert for scammers.

Plan details in advance.

Never wire money in advance.

For more craigslist online safety tips, visit the service's avoiding scams page.

This article provides safety tips for buying and selling items on craigslist.

In this guide, we’ll cover some of the most common scams on craigslist sites and tips for keeping your money and identity safer.

Vague or overly generic descriptions:

Requests to deposit a cashier's check are scams.

Stay safe when a buyer comes to your house.

Always use a proxy email address or phone number.

Scammers often use unbelievably low prices as bait.

We’ve put together a guide on the most common craigslist scams, how to avoid them, and how to stay safe while selling or buying on craigslist.

Requests to wire money are scams.

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In a rental scam, someone on craigslist will list a property for rent to steal your money or your personal and financial information.

If the listing is vague or uses a generic description that could apply to.

Understand which red flags to look out for when using craigslist to either buy or sell items.

Meet in public and bring a friend.

Evaluate listings carefully before agreeing to meet.

9 essential tips to avoid craigslist scams.