4 Common Craigslist Scams

Craigslist is the place where everyone goes to find either stuff, a new job or just plain great opportunities. Unfortunately, because it is one of the largest online sites that caters to that crowd, Craigslist is also where scams come to thrive. We have taken the four most common scams that happen on Craigslist and how to avoid being taken.

Free Stuff Scams on Craigslist
Craigslist has a section in its classifieds for free stuff and for the most part these will be items for the taking. However, there have been a few malicious people who have posted free items to things that were not theirs to give away. Many scammers have worded an ad in the free section stating that items at a particular address where free for the taking. Of course, those items were not theirs to give away and those who started that scam were immediately sought after and charged with burglary. The lesson to be learned on this Craigslist free stuff scam is to make sure that anything that is free is not located inside of someone's home or the home of someone who is not there.

Employment Scams on Craigslist
Craigslist has a huge classified listing for employment, some legitimate and others are scams. Those who run employment scams on Craigslist usually are playing on the emotions of those who are desperate for work. A common ploy that some Craigslist scammers use is to ask for an up-front fee for training or to confirm personal information. Another common ploy on Craigslist is to offer an unbelievable salary in their ads. Usually the Craigslist scammer will promise to pay a huge salary for short-term employment, say a couple of weeks of work. The Craigslist scammer than gets a few weeks of work from you and whomever else they have conned and then splits town without paying. The lesson to be learned on Craigslist employment scams is to watch out for the red flags. If the salary is attractive, they require very little experience, and you don't go through a legitimate interviewing process, beware.

Check Fraud Scams on Craigslist
Check fraud on Craigslist isn't as common as the others, but it does happen from time to time. It usually involves the purchase of an item on Craigslist, usually from a distance. Someone sees your ad for an item and offers to send you a check for it. The check arrives and it is for a much larger amount than what was agreed. The scammer than asks if you will wire the difference back, they may even pay you a little for the inconvenience. The only problem is that the check is no good and you have wired the money to them. You could be out a lot of money. The lesson learned here is to always deal with people local to you and never wire money to people you don't know personally.

Pet Ad Scams on Craigslist
The most common pet scam is the Craigslist Cameroon Pet Scam. It usually involves someone seeing an ad for a pet in Craigslist usually in another country. The victim pays for the shipping of the animal that never shows up. The other common pet scam is where pets are claimed from shelters and then put on Craigslist as good, healthy animals. Usually these pets end up with health issues and no way to track the seller. The lesson learned is to make sure your seller is legitimate. Craigslist is not the best place to find your next pet. Research the local animal rescue or chapter of the animal you're looking to own.