We've linked to craigslist.org's warning page on how to avoid scams. Most of the content below has been taken from craigslist.org's helpful advisory on scams:
We all know someone or have heard about the scams that take place on Craigslist. So here are some tips for you to consider when using Craigslist!
Trust your gut!
If you read a listing that sounds great, but something just feels off, trust what you feel. If you get an uneasy feeling from emailing a potential landlord or feel that something just isn’t right, do NOT follow through.
If it sounds too good to be true… it is.
If a fully furnished, 2-bedroom apartment is for rent in the West Village in a luxury, high-rise, doorman building for $1500, it most likely isn’t real.
Never wire money overseas.
Many scammers prefer not to meet their victims face to face. Instead, the owner (read: scammer) will “unfortunately” be out of town, or out of the country. You’ll be asked to wire them the funds and then you’ll never hear from them again. Only hand over money once you’ve physically been to the address and seen the apartment.
Deal Locally.
Only deal locally or with people that you can meet in person - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on craigslist. If they cannot meet with you, that should raise a red flag.
NEVER wire funds!
You should never wire funds VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer. You should be able to meet with them to give payment and recieve a receipt.
FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
Craigslistst is not Accountable.
CRAIGSLIST IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification”. If you are scammed Craigslist has no part and will not reimburse you.
Never give out financial information.
Never send anyone bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc. AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
Recognizing scams.
Most scams involve one or more of the following:inquiry from someone far away, often in another countryWestern Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee"inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consumating transaction.
Last year TimeOut New York wrote a really great article called Craigslist, deconstructed that we thought we should include:
"1) We’ve all heard this one before.
2) Find out what this means. If there’s a broker, ask how he or she is getting paid. Sometimes the owner or landlord pays the broker a set fee; and in shadier situations, the broker might be skimming a fee off the top of a rent that’s been inflated precisely for that purpose.
3) Is the broker legit? “Make sure the agent has a broker’s license,” advises real-estate attorney Lisa Breier Urban. You can do this by searching on the Department of State site (dos.state.ny.us). “If the ad says ‘For rent by owner,’ verify that this is in fact the owner,” adds Urban. Find a list of deeded property owners on the Automated City Register Information System (nyc.gov/acris), where you can search either by owner name or apartment location.
4) Do a little research to find out whom you’re dealing with. Rapidnyc.com, for example, is the site of a largish Brooklyn outfit stocked with a slew of newly trained agents who recite a group chant at the end of each day (watch it for yourself on YouTube). It’s also not only a rental agency, but a development and construction company as well.
5) If a Match.com photo showed a guy’s elbow instead of his face, how quick would you be to write him? Have the same standards for apartment pictures. And give them a good look to make sure they match the written description. That said, sometimes listings with no photos offer the perk of being less popular, which means you might find a gem and have a better shot at it. But that requires an investment of time and energy. Is it worth it?
6) We’re always a fan of the listings that link to maps; that way you can find out if it’s really “steps from the subway” or even in the neighborhood it claims. FYI, brokers: Crown Heights is not Prospect Heights.
*This ad is a composite of real Craigslist ads. Names and photos have been changed to protect the lame-os."
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