How to Weed Out the Weirdos on Craigslist

Need a lamp? Need an apartment? How about tickets to the upcoming show? Check craigslist.com. But, make sure to steer clear of the weird ones. Here are a few tips for avoiding sketchy characters on the internet.

First, never list your phone number in an initial email conversation. It doesn't matter whether you initiated contact, or are responding to a post; use the anonymous function and email only in first contact. If some weirdo gets your phone number, you may end up needing a new number, or worse, a new area code.

Be honest. If you are searching or requesting a roommate, for example, make sure to clearly explain your priorities, habits, necessities, financial limitations, personal preferences, etc. While you don't need to write a life-story, it is helpful to have roommate-specific information out in the open from the get-go to prevent future problems. I find that some tend to bend the truth to get in on a great deal, or a seemingly great place only to encounter issues. Be straightforward.

Lots of posts on craigslist tend to use phrases like 'no drugs, no weird stuff, no nonsense' etc. Listing a bunch of no-no's is a good start, but it often doesn't prevent the weirdos from getting through. In order to fulfill these lists, you need to vet potential roommates. One strategy that works well is to ask about current employment and housing. Based on responses you can sometimes determine a prospective person's viability.

After vetting potential roommates, it's time to set up a meet in person. When meeting a person from craigslist, make sure to set a time limitation. This works with potential roommates as well as others from craigslist. By setting a definite endpoint to any meet, you give yourself an out; an escape that may be well-deserved if you've done a poor job in your vetting.

Gut instinct counts when meeting someone from the Internet. If you have a highly defined sense of character, you can usually tell if you're in a sketchy situation or dealing with a sketchy person almost immediately. It's usually a safe bet to trust your instincts. If you ignore them, you are ignoring your own innate sense of an environment; I wouldn't recommend this. Is it a great apartment, with fantastic views, cuts your commute, and offers a huge walk-in closet, but the potential housemate kept eyeing you creepily? Trust me, take a pass.

Last, when dealing with people from craigslist make sure you don't give out too much information. There are not only sketchy folks looking for sketchy partners, but also straight scammers out there looking to rob you blind. Keep some barriers intact even after you've met a person--it may save you in the end.