Online classifieds are a popular go-to avenue for people looking for goods and services, particularly second-hand items. However, many dangers lurk among the pages of these sites.
Classified scams and robberies have been a growing problem in the USA and the world at large.
Knowing what to avoid and how to remain safe when making transactions or meeting a potential buyer or seller are crucial to avoid becoming a victim.
Here are a few tips to help you do just that:
How to stay safe when buying from online classifieds
The Basics
The most common mistakes made by buyers and sellers happen when it's time to meet in person.
The Golden rule: Deal locally, face-to-face —follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scam attempts.
A physical exchange has to take place somehow once the sale price has been agreed upon. That means sending the item by courier, taking it to the other person, or having them come to you to collect it. How this happens is often key to maintaining personal security,
When selling an item, do not allow people into your home to come and inspect it. This has been the basis for many ruses in the USA, in which sellers end up being robbed by the supposed buyers.
If they don’t agree to your terms, forget them and move on – another buyer will be along shortly. Be suspicious, all the time, of everyone. Don’t trust buyers, don’t trust sellers, do as much homework as you can on anything you intend to buy or sell, and conduct the transaction in as safe an area as you can think of. You can never be too paranoid.
Additionally, here's a list of helpful tips to guide buyers and sellers.
- Never send your item before receiving the money. Do not send the item until confirming that the payment was legitimate, and has cleared, with your bank. Never hand over goods to Courier/Uber drivers after receiving an EFT notification from a buyer.
- Never send or wire money to sellers or buyers. This includes never mailing a cheque or using payment services like Bidpay, Bitcoin, Western Union, or Money Gram to pay for items found on Verde Classifieds.
- Please also take special care when buying expensive items such as mobile phones, laptops, plasma TVs, airline tickets, and event tickets for shows/gigs. When buying airline tickets we suggest you take the seller's name and ticket number, check the ticket exists and take the responsibility yourself for changing the names.
- When buying tickets for events please be aware that some tickets may have terms printed on them that limit the ability of the original buyer to sell them to someone else.
- Never provide your personal or banking information (e.g. credit card number) to others over the internet.
- Make yourself aware of common scams and fraud. Do not believe the promise of large sums of money for your help in any task.
- Use common sense. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
When buying a vehicle, take note of the following:
- Do not pay any deposit for a vehicle before viewing the vehicle in person.
- Check that the VIN matches the number on the owner registration and roadworthy documents.
- Check that the VIN has not been tampered with.
- Check that the address supplied by the seller matches the address on the registration and roadworthy documents.
- Check the service history of the car.
- Check chassis and engine numbers – inconsistencies could indicate that the vehicle has been tampered with.
- Make sure there is no outstanding finance on the vehicle you are purchasing
- The local Police will be able to check whether a vehicle has been stolen and that the VIN/chassis and engine numbers are following the vehicle’s registration documents.
Where to report fraud or scam attempts in Arizona, USA?
- If you believe you have been the victim of consumer fraud, you may file a consumer complaint with the Arizona Attorney General's Office. For consumer inquiries, or to request a complaint form, call (602) 542-5763 (Phoenix), (520) 628-6648 (Tucson), or toll-free outside of metro Phoenix, (800) 352-8431.
- International Fraud Complaint Center
- Consumer Sentinel/Military (for armed service members and families
