• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Start Here
  • Work with David
  • Our Services
  • Contact
Young Adult Money

Make more. Save more. Live better.

  • Blog
  • Credit Cards
    • Rewards
    • Cash Back
    • Travel
    • Airlines
    • Hotels
    • Balance Transfer
    • Student
    • Business
  • FREE Budget Spreadsheet
  • FREE Student Loan Spreadsheet
This Just In... Check out the latest travel rewards credit card offers

How to Stay Safe When Buying and Selling on Craigslist

By David Carlson / Last updated: January 29, 2017 / Make Money

We may receive compensation from companies mentioned within this post via affiliate links. Read our full advertiser disclosure. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Pin7
Share2
Tweet52
Email
Buffer8
Share
69 Shares

Craigslist can be a great resource for connecting buyers and sellers, but it's also important to take the necessary precautions to stay safe.As some of you know, my wife and I enter giveaways as a side hustle. When the giveaway prize is not cash or gift cards, we need to sell the product. We’ve found Craigslist to be a great way to get rid of some of the bigger things that we don’t want to ship, which has included a kitchen faucet, kid’s bookcase, a car seat, and more.

What I’ve learned is that staying safe should be your top priority when buying and selling on Craigslist. There’s too many stories – including one I will share about someone I know personally – about people who have gotten scammed, robbed, or otherwise put into a bad situation when trying to buy or sell something through Craigslist. Thankfully there are a few simple precautionary measures that can be taken to stay safe.

A Scary True Story about a Friend of Mine

I have a friend who decided to sell his iPad. He listed it on Craigslist and set up a meeting with a potential buyer. He drove to the potential buyer’s apartment and met the buyer near his apartment complex.

The buyer started to look at the iPad and said that he had his money inside his apartment. As they walked towards the apartment buildings, the buyer started running. The buyer was a much larger man than my friend, and despite the fact that he could have caught up to him, he stopped and called the police instead.

Apparently this guy has done this multiple times to Craigslist sellers. In one of the reported incidents, he pulled a gun on the seller.

This is just one example of someone who has been put in danger and ultimately robbed through their use of Craigslist. I’m sure there are countless other examples of

Tips for Staying Safe Buying and Selling on Craigslist

I think it’s obvious to most people that dealing on Craigslist comes with risks. These risks can be alleviated by being overly cautious and following some simple rules.

  • Meet in Public Places – Most things being sold should be small enough to sell at a public meetup location. The local library, a coffee shop, or the mall are all public places that will work. The odds a buyer or seller will try to rob you in a public location is far smaller than in a private location such as your home.I admittedly have had buyers come to my house to pick up products. They were all for products worth less than $100, but I should have met them at a public place just to be safe. If you must have the buyer come pick up an item, make sure you are not home alone.
  • Communicate via the Masked Email Thread – If you’ve used Craigslist you know that a masked email thread is created when you email someone or someone emails you. For those who don’t know what I mean by a “masked email thread”, Craigslist has an internal communication engine that does not include the actual email addresses of the email participants.While I know others who freely give out their cell phone numbers over Craigslist, I always prefer the anonymity of masked emails. There really is no reason that all communications can’t be completed this way, all the way up to the actual transaction.
  • Don’t give more info than is needed – Giving the minimum information necessary to the buyer or seller you are conversing with is a simple way to stay safe. If someone doesn’t need your address, don’t give it to them. If someone doesn’t need to know when you are at work or not, don’t give it to them.For example, do not respond to someone with “I work 7-5 each weekday so you won’t be able to pick up the couch until after 5. We also will be out of town this weekend so hopefully we can get this done before then?” It seems like common sense, but it’s so easy to trip up and give a complete stranger more info than they need.
  • Trust your instincts – If you have a bad feeling about a transaction, end it!. In the story I described earlier in the post, my friend had a bad feeling about the deal. Sometimes you just have to trust your gut and wait for another buyer or seller.

Craigslist can be a great place to buy and sell products, especially if your side hustle requires you to unload inventory or perhaps is even centered around “flipping” products. With that being said, safety is the most important thing to keep in mind when dealing on Craigslist.

Check out some of our favorite personal finance resources:

Are you getting the best credit card rewards? Check out the top cash back credit card offers (updated daily)

Make extra money: 15 ways to make money from your computer

  • Get our FREE Automated Budget Spreadsheet and our Student Loan Spreadsheet

Get the First Chapter Free!

Student Loan Solution Cover - 3D

Join our online community and get the first chapter of the book Student Loan Solution absolutely FREE!

Pin7
Share2
Tweet52
Email
Buffer8
Share
69 Shares

David Carlson

David Carlson is the founder of Young Adult Money. He is a nationally recognized speaker and the author of Student Loan Solution (2019) and Hustle Away Debt (2016). His opinions have been featured on such media outlets as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cheddar, NBC's KARE11, and more.
Connect:

Comments Policy

Comments, responses, and other user-generated content is not provided or commissioned by this site or our advertisers. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by this website or its advertisers. It is not the responsibility of advertisers or this website to ensure that all comments and/or questions are answered. With all that being said, please comment away!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. colormefrugal says

    Great tips.  I’ve also sold quite a few things on Craigslist and never had any problems, but I should have done as you say and met people at a public place rather than my house.  You never know what could happen!

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      colormefrugalI also have never had any problems, and I think 99% of the time it will be totally fine to have someone come to your house.  I think it’s better to be safe than sorry, though, so I really only do transactions in public locations now.

  2. Charles@gettingarichlife says

    David one of my clients sells stuff all the time through craigslist and he advises to get google voice.  The phone number is routed through the internet and it masks your real number so people can’t randomly look you up.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Charles@gettingarichlifeHmmm that definitely could be a good option!  I personally prefer the masked email.  Since everyone has it on their phone now there is really no reason not to use email vs. text/phone.

  3. BudgetforMore says

    Thankfully I have never had any issues selling or buying on Craigslist. However  I think the most important tip was to trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel right than it probably isn’t!

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      BudgetforMoreGreat point!  Trusting your instincts is so important.

  4. Laurie TheFrugalFarmer says

    Oh my gosh, DC – SO glad your friend is okay – that is so scary!!!  Great tips here, and ones I will make sure and follow myself.  Thank you!

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Laurie TheFrugalFarmer No problem, and I’m glad he’s okay as well!  It sucks for him to be out a few hundred dollars, but being safe and unharmed is priceless.

  5. moneycone says

    Excellent tips!  Never   invite someone into your house or go to someone’s house when transacting via CL.  Of course, there are exceptions like selling furniture.  

    I’m glad your friend is ok.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      moneycone Yeah I did pick up some furniture from someone but went with my Dad.  I stupidly had multiple people come here to pick up giveaway winnings.  Obviously everything is fine, but it’s better to be safe.

  6. alexislives says

    Excellent tips.  Common sense goes a long way and I have not done a sale or two because a person seemed ‘fishy’.  I always meet at public places and luckily had no problems and only one no show in the 5 years I’ve been selling on craigslist.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      alexislives 5 years is a long time!  I’ve only been using it for about a year but I’ve gone to only meeting in public places.  It’s the best way to stay safe (for both the buyer and seller).

  7. Andrew LivingRichCheaply says

    Good tips…I thought about using Craigslist to cut out the middleman as I generally use Amazon.  But it is much more convenient for me and I don’t like having to deal with negotiating, meeting up with someone and the potential risk of running into someone your friend ran into.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Andrew LivingRichCheaply We sell everything on ebay that is easy to ship, but for the bigger items sometimes it’s easier to unload them via CL, at least that’s been my experience.  I started using it less than a half a year ago.

  8. FrugalRules says

    Wow, so sorry to hear that about your friend though I’m glad they’re ok. We’ve sold quite a bit on CL, but I do need to get better about meeting them at a public place. We’ve needed to have my wife be the one who sold it several times and always go the public space route, so I just need to do that all the time.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      FrugalRules Yeah it’s easy to be lazy and just have them come to your house (been there done that!) but I’ve felt much better recently as we’ve gone to only meeting buyers in public, especially when it’s a big $100-$200 transaction.

  9. Brian @ Luke1428 says

    We’ve had decent success with Craigslist but I agree you must be careful. Meeting in public seems to be the safest bet to me. I have even done this before if I’ve had resolve a dispute with a tenant. I don’t need to be at someone’s house alone if I suspect there is going to be trouble.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Brian @ Luke1428 Makes a lot of sense!  Our tenant lives in our basement so it would be funny if we met in a public place haha but if I had a real issue with a tenant, especially one on another property, I would much rather meet in public for sure.

  10. brokeandbeau says

    That is terrifying.  I’ve never sold on craigslist but I’ve had a lot of luck buying.  I found an incredible kitchen unit that usually sells for a couple hundred bucks in stores that I got for $25 plus the toll between queens and manhattan.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      brokeandbeau Wow that’s a pretty good deal!  I’ve had some decent luck selling on Craigslist but I will definitely keep meeting up in public places!

  11. Raquel@Practical Cents says

    I’ve never used Craigslist mainly because of what you described above.  But I know a couple of people who have had good luck selling and buying on Craigslist.  It’s always good to be cautious.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Raquel@Practical Cents It’s nice that they have ‘masked’ emails so there is no risk until you start offering up private information (phone, address, etc.).  I will continue to meet in public places for sure.

  12. Eyesonthedollar says

    This is what scares me about Craig’s List. I’m sure 99% of the time, it’s fine, but I would be the one to attract some psycho. We tend to use Ebay for smaller stuff and I take anything else to the consignment stores. It might cost more in fees, but I don’t have to haggle or deal directly with anyone.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Eyesonthedollar I also have terrible luck (so does my wife) so we’d be the one’s to do that too!  I actually have had some good luck selling large stuff on Craigslist so I will probably continue it.

  13. ImpersonalFinance says

    I’ve sold some things on Craigslist before, and I’ve met some awesome people.  That being said, I’m super cautious and careful everytime, whether I’m the one selling or the one buying.  I have gone to some houses before to buy a couple of items, but I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.  Glad your friend is okay!

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      ImpersonalFinance When it comes to furniture you have to go to people’s houses, so sometimes it’s inevitable.  I did meet this nice lady who I told about giveaways and my blog, which was pretty sweet haha.

  14. Holly at ClubThrifty says

    That is so scary.  As a woman, I usually make Greg go with me or meet in a public place.  But, your friend did meet in a public place and still got ripped off.  That sucks!

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Holly at ClubThrifty Yeah well there were other warning signs in his case as well.  They were technically outside of the guys (supposed) apartment building.  I’m not so sure I’d be willing to go to someone’s house/apartment to sell an iPad.

  15. ShannonRyan says

    Wow – scary! I’m glad your friend is okay. Craiglist can definitely be wonderful but you do have to be careful. Unless, they absolutely needed to come to my house, I definitely would meet them somewhere public or vice versa. Living in LA, I’m probably extra cautious. So many good people use it but you have to be cautious. I want to wish you and Victoria a very Merry and Blessed Christmas, DC!

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      ShannonRyan Thanks so much Shannon!  Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!

  16. Miss Tightwad says

    Yikes! I buy and sell on craigslist regularly and have never had a problem, luckily.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Miss Tightwad Same!  I think it’s just important to remember some basic safety info every once in a while.

  17. debtperception says

    I’ve never really had issues with Craigslist.  Some people just seem creepy and I go with my gut instinct and avoid communicating with them and hope that other people are interested in my items.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      debtperception That’s one approach!  I think a large, LARGE majority of people have never had a problem.  Let’s hope it stays that way.

  18. Jason Butler says

    Those are some tips. I always meet people in public places whenever I’m selling something.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Jason Butler Same.  It might be more of a pain, but honestly it protects both the buyer and seller.

  19. Beachbudget says

    Great advice! I’ve been guilty of not meeting in public places and wonder when my luck will run out. I need to be a lot more cautious than I am. Thankfully everything I’ve done so far has been OK. I do at least meet people outside of my apartment in daylight, where there are lots of neighbors around.

    • DC @ Young Adult Money says

      Beachbudget I used to have people come to my house and realized it may be a bad idea.  At least with apartment complexes you have lots of neighbors, so that definitely should help.

  20. DebtChronicles says

    I had some people come to my home, and admittedly I’m a bit more trusting than I should be.  In some cases the seller actually requested we meet somewhere more public.  Makes sense – unless you’re selling something huge like a projection TV or something…lol.

  21. DonebyForty says

    That’s advice I probably should be following…I have to admit that I just sell Craigslist items from my home. So far, so good…but that doesn’t mean it’s wise.

  22. blonde_finance says

    This is great advice! I have always wanted to utilize Craigslist more, but I have been “scared” because I have not had enough experience utilizing it.

Primary Sidebar

Credit Cards

  • Best Travel Rewards Cards
  • Best Balance Transfer Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Business And Side Hustle Credit Cards
  • Best Student Credit Cards

Start a Blog:

How to Start a Blog that Makes Money
 

Top Posts

  • 15 Ways You Can Make Money From Your Computer Right Now
  • When You Should and Shouldn’t Refinance Student Loans
  • How Much Money You Will Need to Make $1,000 in Dividends

Free Spreadsheets & Downloads

  • Free Automated Budget Spreadsheet
  • Student Loan Repayment Spreadsheet
  • The Ultimate Personal Finance Checklist
  • 401k Spreadsheet to Analyze your Options
  • Wedding Budget Spreadsheet
  • 52 Week Money Challenge Spreadsheet and Printable

First Chapter Free!

Join our online community and receive the first chapter of Student Loan Solution absolutely FREE.

If you don't see the email in your inbox, please check your spam folder.

Connect:

Categories:

Search:

Get the New Book!

Student Loan Solution: 5 Steps to Take Control of Your Student Loans and Financial Life is available on Amazon by clicking here, or by clicking on the graphic below.

Make more. Save more. Live better.

Site Directory:

  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Recommendations
  • Finance Tools
  • Credit Cards
  • Insurance
  • Banking
  • Investing

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy

Feedback? Questions?
Contact us and let us know what you think.

Connect:

Search This Site:

Copyright © 2012–2024 Young Adult Money, LLC / All Rights Reserved
Designed by LizTheresa.com / Developed by Nuts and Bolts Media

Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}