Vital Information About Scams and Protection
Craigslist has exploded in popularity over the last few years. On Craigslist.com you can find a job, or look for a job, you can sell that old china cabinet your mother gave you that you always hated, buy a perfect crib for the baby you’re expecting or even give away the Franklin Stove that came with your house. However, the popularity of Craigslist has also made it home to many people seeking to take advantage, and so you have to watch carefully for frauds.
One scheme that is often seen involves listing a car for an amazingly low price. The listing may tell the story of how the vehicle is owned by someone in the armed forces and is being shipped home. And how desperately money is needed before its arrival. The unsuspecting buyer sends the cash, only to be left in the lurch. No car ever arrives.
Another scam recently shut down was a man attempting to rent out a house he did even own, luckily he was arrested. However, he was able to collect thousands of dollars before he was apprehended. But for the people who had already fallen victim to his scam, the money is gone forever. A little bit of background work and checking would have helped those prospective renters to avoid this scam and save their money.
Another common scam involves fake job postings. That’s why it is always wise to approach “work from home” ads with caution. Many times, after paying an upfront fee, the job seeker will find little if any real work. If you ever get a phone number, its easy to use a telephone look-up directory such as 411infoseek.com/860/571/ to make sure the person is not be impersonating someone else.
Anytime you are considering making a purchase on Craigslist or applying for a job, it’s important to do some research and be cautious. Before sending money you should always require a personal review of the item or some type of guarantee on it. Personal ads should especially be treated with extreme caution as there are people out there looking to take advantage of lonely souls trying to make a connection.
Unfortunately, many people have sent money to purchase an item and the item never arrives. There is no recourse and it is money lost. It is a good idea to check the location of the item for sale and, if it is nearby, go and pick it up personally. This way a person gets a good look at the item and has it in hand before turning over their money.
Craigslist is a free service for sellers of goods that has benefited a lot of people. However, with scammers ready to use any means to commit fraud it has become an easy means to swindle people. Any use of this program should be approached with the same caution one would use when dealing with any unknown person to avoid being cheated out of their funds.
Anytime there is a request to have money wired to a distant location, or a money order or cashiers check is being requested, those are red flags and you may not want to deal with those sellers. Ideally, all Craigslist purchases should be done locally where a physical meeting can be arranged for every one’s safety and convenience. You should also take care that you never give out your personal information and remember that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
To find out more about telephone look ups that allow to track scammers, visit 411infoseek.com/240/866/