Craigslist – Use Extreme Caution!
Craigslist is filled with the cesspool of human scum who will gladly scam you out of both buying and selling a used car – my advice is to not use CraigsList; don’t come back crying if you get screwed using CraigsList – I warned you right here! Don’t use CraigsList!
However, you will probably be tempted to use the free listing service so here are some tips.
Make sure you are on CraigsList.org
DO NOT click a link to get to CraigsList – type in www.craigslist.org to make sure you get there. There are all kinds of con sites that look like CraigsList. If you should start a conversation by answering a CraigsList ad make sure you don’t click on any link they might eMail back to you.
CraigsList is bad enough without getting conned into a look alike site that is even worse.
ONLY deal with local folks who you can meet in person.
NEVER buy or sell a car to a person who you can’t meet in person! If you follow this golden rule you will avoid many CraigList scams. Beware of heart breaking stories of the person stuck in another city, country, or planet and therefore can’t meet you in person – that’s a scam. Especially be wary of folks claiming to be in the active military and stationed overseas – this is a scam.
A local phone number is no help either – there are all kinds of internet based phones that use local area codes – the person can be on the other side of the planet making the phone call.
ONLY deal in cash
If you have followed my other tips you know that CASH is the only safe way to buy or sell a used car. DO NOT ACCEPT checks, cashiers’ checks, money orders, wire transfers, only accept cash. The other party may bellyache about being scared carrying the cash with them – fine, meet them at their bank where they can write a check and get cash to hand over to you. You can then go to a teller’s window and get a cashiers’ check that you can then deposit into your bank account.
Price too good to be true
You know the saying “If it’s too good to be true then it isn’t”. Nobody gives away a used car for anything but the going Blue Book Value. If you are tempted to buy a car way below Blue Book value you can bet that there is something wrong with the car – 100% guarantee on that.
Just remember that if you get that feeling that you must rush to take advantage of a “good deal” you probably are knee-deep in a con where you will get screwed.
CraigsList Guarantees
CraigsList does NOT guarantee a single damn thing – any listing that touts CraigList somehow vouching or verifying or guaranteeing anyone is a flat out lie – it’s a scam. CraigsList would let Jack The Ripper sell anything he wanted to. Think of CraigsList as a huge bulletin board in the middle of town square – anyone can put up any ad and it doesn’t mean a damn thing.
Don’t use Escrow Services
Conmen who infest CraigsList will try to ease your fears by demanding that your hard earned money not be sent to them but a trusted Escrow Company. The conmen will gladly give you a web link, a phone number, and even references – all cons. The conmen can set up a website in a few minutes. A disposable phone number simply rings to a friend of the conman. References are the conman and his family.
The Escrow Company will cash your check or deposit your wire transfer and the money will be wired somewhere else in seconds – weeks later you never get the car and the phone was tossed into a trash can. You just got screwed.
Don’t get involved with shipping the car
If you followed my warnings and only deal with local folks who you can meet then there is no need to ship the car either buying or selling the car. If you buy a car that is not in town and the conman wants you to pay a hefty shipping fee then you are getting screwed – it’s a con. The car will never show up and you never inspected the car – you did just about everything wrong that can be done.
Don’t give out financial information
There is NO reason why someone on CraigsList needs to know your Social Security number, your mother’s maiden name, or your favorite password. DO NOT give anyone your checking account number or even your address. Conduct all business in person at preferably in the lobby of a bank where the other person can’t stick a knife in your ribs.
Conclusion
My advice is to not use CraigsList. If you think you are a smart cookie and won’t be conned then observe my warning above – but don’t come back here and cry about getting shafted by a con artist. Good luck.
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