One of the most popular Internet venues of the past few years has been Craigslist. On Craigslist.com you can find a job, or look for a job, you can sell that old china cabinet your mother gave you that you always hated, buy a perfect crib for the baby you’re expecting or even give away the Franklin Stove that came with your house. Too bad numerous scammers can also be found on this Internet phenomenon also.
One example of a common fraud is the sale of a car at a tremendous bargain. The claim is that that car belongs to a soldier serving overseas and that the car is being shipped back to the United States, but they need money for expenses immediately and are selling the car. When the potential buyer sends the money the scam is complete, and the car never materializes.
Recently a man was arrested for advertising on Craigslist for putting an ad to rent a house he did not own. However, he was able to collect thousands of dollars before he was apprehended. In the meantime, many people were out money they could not afford. The prospective renters could have easily avoided losing money if they had done a little checking.
Another common scam involves fake job postings. That’s why it is always wise to approach “work from home” ads with caution. Many times, after paying an upfront fee, the job seeker will find little if any real work. However, if you are pursuing a job through Craigslist and the point is reached where there will be a telephone conversation, you can use telephone look up services such as reverse-ip-lookup.info/13/index.jsp to do some background checking on the caller.
Anytime you are considering making a purchase on Craigslist or applying for a job, it’s important to do some research and be cautious. Before sending money you should always require a personal review of the item or some type of guarantee on it. Personal ads should especially be treated with extreme caution as there are people out there looking to take advantage of lonely souls trying to make a connection.
There have also been many people who have sent money to pay for an item and the item is never sent. Of course, when this happens, there is no recourse and the money is simply gone. It is a good idea to check the location of the item for sale and, if it is nearby, go and pick it up personally. This allows you to take a look at the merchandise before actually paying for it.
Providing free listings for goods and services, Craigslist can be a great resource for many people. Unfortunately, it has also become a breeding ground for fraudulent dealings. By taking some simple precautions, you can avoid being duped or cheated out of your hard earned money.
Beware of anyone offering to send money via wire transfer or money order, especially from distant locations. Ideally, all Craigslist purchases should be done locally where a physical meeting can be arranged for every one’s safety and convenience. You should also take care that you never give out your personal information and remember that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
