Craigslist Ac (2024)

FAQs

How do you know if a buyer is scamming you on Craigslist? ›

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.

Many of the scams start with a generic inquiry asking if the item is still available or if you are the original owner. The reason for this is to quickly test to see if the seller is responsive. There's generally no mention of the item you're selling or any questions specific to the item.

Craigslist text scams can start with the other party saying they want to confirm you aren't a scammer. Don't give out any codes sent to your phone, especially if it says it's for verifying your identity. The code is for a Google Voice account the scammer set up using your number.

Avoid adding any personal information in the posting, including your name, real phone number or real email address. Always use the generated email address on your Craigslist posts. This creates a random email address, so the poster doesn't have your real email on file.

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.

If you give them the code, they can log into your account and transfer all the money out of your savings or investment accounts. Never give your verification code to someone else. It's only for you to log into your account. Anyone who asks you for your account verification code is a scammer.

Don't share personal details. Never disclose your personal or financial information to strangers online. There is no need for your Craigslist contact to know your bank account number, home address, or date of birth. You might share your cell phone number with someone you are meeting in person, but not more.

Click "Reply."

A window with response options will appear. To use your default mail program, click the blue response link at the top. If you use one of the listed webmail services, click the corresponding icon.

Following this, they press you to share a one-time, six-digit code sent to your cell phone number. This verification code, they claim, is to ensure that this isn't a fake online listing. However, this Google Voice verification code scam can allow bad actors to use your phone number to conceal their identity.

How to spot a fake Craigslist ad? ›

Unfortunately, no such protection exists for those replying to posts. When you reply directly from Craigslist, your email address will be visible to the recipient. To reply anonymously, you need to create a free Web-based email address, which does not contain identifiable information.

If you think someone you know is being, or has been, targeted by scammers, try to speak to them about it. It's common for people to feel ashamed or embarrassed if they have fallen victim to a scam. You should reassure them that this isn't their fault; scammers use tactics that can trick anyone.

Craigslist automatically hides your email address from listings with an email relay system. But once you start communicating to messages in your Craigslist inbox, it will use the name in your own email address. As well, it's not difficult for a scammer to get your email address using a Craigslist email address decoder.