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

How to purchase from Craigslist safely? ›

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.

What is the safest way to accept payments on Craigslist? ›

Use cash — safely

If you're dealing with a local, the most secure way to pay or collect funds for a Craigslist transaction is with cash. To keep it even more secure, you can make the exchange in a safe place like your local police station or even at Acclaim FCU.

How do I protect myself when selling on Craigslist? ›

When posting items for sale on Craigslist, you should always:
  1. Avoid adding any personal information in the posting, including your name, real phone number or real email address.
  2. Always use the generated email address on your Craigslist posts.

How does buying from 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 safest way to receive money from a buyer? ›

Personal and Cashier's Checks

Besides cash, a certified cashier's check is the most secure way to accept payment during a private sale.

Why do Craigslist buyers ask for a phone number? ›

What can a Craigslist scammer do with my 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.

Should I give my 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.

What payment method to use to not get scammed? ›

Credit cards offer features like encryption and fraud protection to help keep your personal information secure. In addition, credit card users are protected by federal law and can only be liable for up to $50 on fraudulent chargers.

What is the best payment method to not get scammed? ›

Secure online payment methods
  • 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.
Feb 11, 2023

How do sellers not get scammed on Craigslist? ›

5 Ways to Avoid Getting Scammed on Craigslist
  1. Check the URL to be sure you're not on a bogus look-alike site. ...
  2. Deal locally so you can finalize a sale in person. ...
  3. Examine the product in person before finalizing a sale. ...
  4. Don't send a money order or wire transfer as payment for an item. ...
  5. Don't share your personal information.

Do Craigslist sellers see my email? ›

Craigslist provides a "cover" email address that is forwarded to the recipient's actual email address. Only Craigslist knows the real email addresses of both parties. This way, if one of the people involved turns out to be untrustworthy, they don't have the other person's email address.

How do I sell on Craigslist for dummies? ›

Quick Steps

Select the Craigslist for your city on https://craigslist.org. Click post an ad under the Craigslist logo at the upper-left corner. Navigate through the steps to complete your posting. Be sure to add images and select an appropriate category.

What percentage does Craigslist take? ›

There are no fees for selling on Craigslist. The UX (user experience) is great, uploading and publishing an item takes less than 15 minutes. You can decide if you'd like to accept cryptocurrency, if there's delivery available, and if you want to show more Ads by you as a link.

How to spot fake Craigslist responses? ›

Craigslist Scam Alert: 5 Signs a Con Artist Is Replying to Your...
  1. They Won't Come See the Item in Person. ...
  2. The Email Reply Doesn't Refer to the Specific Item You're Selling. ...
  3. The Buyer 'Accidentally' Overpays. ...
  4. They Ask for Personal or Financial Information. ...
  5. The Buyer Refuses to Meet at a Public Place.
Mar 21, 2019

What sells fastest 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 to avoid being scammed on Craigslist? ›

5 Ways to Avoid Getting Scammed on Craigslist
  1. Check the URL to be sure you're not on a bogus look-alike site. ...
  2. Deal locally so you can finalize a sale in person. ...
  3. Examine the product in person before finalizing a sale. ...
  4. Don't send a money order or wire transfer as payment for an item. ...
  5. Don't share your personal information.

Is it safe to buy off Craigslist? ›

Craigslist is a legitimate website, and most Craigslist posts are legitimate and trustworthy as well. However, just like any other online platform, it can be used by scammers. Some people may post fraudulent listings only pretending to sell goods or services, so take precautions to ensure your safety.

How do I verify a buyer on Craigslist? ›

  1. 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. ...
  2. Meet the person you're doing business with in a public place, such as a coffee shop. ...
  3. Complete your transaction in cash.

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