The Dark Side: Scammers, Stalkers, and Setups. Scammers use Craigslist to steal money from unsuspecting victims by placing fraudulent advertisements with incredible deals. Buyers are asked to send money orders or checks online, and after making payment, never receive their item.

What are some of the risks and limitations of using Craigslist?

Check Fraud. A common scam used against sellers involves the scammer offering an authentic-looking counterfeit cashiers check for an amount greater than the price of the sellers item. Phishing. Violent Crime. Staying Safe on Craigslist.

How sketchy is Craigslist?

Craigslist, where you can find a car or a human being to live with, has the reputation of being sketchy. They found about 29,000 fraudulent listings in 20 major American cities — of which only 47 percent of which were flagged as “suspicious” by Craigslist.

Is it dangerous to sell on Craigslist?

One of the most important Craigslist precautions is to be wary of scammers. In almost all cases, you are best off accepting cash for a Craigslist sale. If the transaction is for an expensive item, such as a car, meet the seller at the bank, and have them draw and deliver the cashiers check right then and there.

Is OfferUp safe?

While OfferUp is certainly safe to use, our OfferUp review found that there are plenty of precautions that users must take to avoid OfferUp scams. This is true no matter what app you choose—even the best buy and sell apps leave users vulnerable to scam artists.