Advice for a successful and secure encounter
What You Should Understand
- Avoid money-wiring services attempt to shop locally meet in public and don’t go alone don’t use personal email addresses.
- Never divulge financial or personal details. Before purchasing, view the item in person and take out the geotags from images.
This article offers safety advice when using Craigslist to purchase and sell goods. See the Craigslist wv website’s Avoiding Scams page for additional advice on internet safety.
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Don’t Ever Send Emails From Your Real Address
You can use a proxy email address that Craigslist provides or your actual email address while posting and replying to ads on the classifieds.
Use the Craigslist address instead of your real email address to keep spammers and scammers away from it.
For placing ads on Craigslist without disclosing any personal information other than your first name, the anonymized Craigslist wv email address is fantastic.
But even if you choose to reply to an advertisement using a proxy email, the seller can still see your actual name and whatever private information you include in your email signature.
When replying to an advertisement, think about using a disposable email address, such one from Mailinator or GishPuppy, to hide your identity and protect your genuine email address. Throughout the entire transaction, anonymity is maintained when using one of these substitute email services.
Whenever Possible, Purchase Locally
Craigslist suggests that you “deal locally with folks you can meet in person.” Using this method reduces your chances of falling victim to fraud. However, following this advice carries certain security risks, so be sure to take the necessary safeguards (see below).
Don’t Travel Alone and Meet in a Public Area.
When dealing with transactions related to Craigslist cars and trucks, Meeting the buyer or seller in a public setting, such a coffee shop, is always advised for your safety. Observe the transaction with a friend, and be mindful of your own safety.
Additionally, Craigslist advises observing these guidelines:
- Avoid meeting in a remote location.
- Never open your house to strangers.
- Never venture out by yourself.
Never Provide Financial or Personal Details
Posting job openings on Craigslist, some con artists claim they must “credit check” applicants. This is a ruse to obtain credit cards in your name or carry out other identity fraud by stealing your personal information.
Never divulge financial or personal details in a Craigslist transaction. You should always meet in person, bring a companion, and pay with cash or a protected or proxied method like PayPal to avoid providing the vendor with your credit card information.
Steer clear of Money-Wiring Services.
When dealing with transactions related to Craigslist cars and trucks, be cautious if Anyone who offers you to utilise a money-wiring service is probably trying to con you, according to Craigslist. For thieves, particularly those from abroad, wire transfers appear to be the preferred method of operation when it comes to shipping fraud and other internet frauds.
Consider it a serious red flag if a buyer or seller discusses paying with a wire service.
Never Purchase Anything without first seeing it in person.
Never believe a Craigslist photo while making a purchase. Occasionally, sellers will misrepresent the thing they are offering by using an online image.
If you decide to buy the item, examine it in person before negotiating, and abide by the previously mentioned safety advice when you meet the vendor in person.
Before posting any pictures, remove the geotags.
Be cautious when taking pictures of items to sell on Craigslist. The EXIF metadata, which is a component of the picture’s file header, may contain the precise location of the photo you took if your smartphone has GPS capability.
The position data may be readable by criminals using an EXIF metadata viewer programme, even if you cannot see the GPS geotag information in the photo. This could aid in locating the item.
As other websites do, Craigslist does not state whether or not it removes geotags, thus it is advisable to take out any geotagging before sharing your images.