Check out this scam from Craigslist (2024)

FAQs

How does the check scam work on Craigslist? ›

Craigslist check scams are really easy to see and avoid: a buyer offers to send you a cashier's check to pay for something, but they want you to send it before the payment arrives. If you do send it, the check will either never arrive, or it'll be fake.

Similarly, buyers who ask for personal or financial information or offer to pay more than the asking price for an item are often scams. If something seems suspicious, it's best to walk away and look for a different opportunity.

Use a secure form of payment

One of the most important Craigslist precautions is to be wary of scammers. In almost all cases, you are best off accepting cash for a Craigslist sale. Personal checks can bounce, and scammers can fake cashier's checks and money orders.

Receiving a check or overpayment and being asked to wire a portion of the funds back. Being asked to provide your password, PIN, Social Security number, account number or financial information to someone who contacts you out of the blue.

A fake cashier's check is sent, which the scammer asks the recipient to cash and then wire back the funds to cover the taxes and fees. Scammers might go to an online auction or classified listing site and offer to buy an item for sale, pay for a service in advance, or rent an apartment.

The FTC calls it the Google Voice scam and say it can lead to someone using your phone number to conceal their identity and rip off other people. Here's how it works: The scammer sends you a message letting you know they're interested in buying your item. They may message you a phone number and ask you to text them.

A legitimate buyer will more than likely ask for additional information about the item for sale, such as the condition of the item. Potential buyers who ask for personal information like your email address or phone number or request the funds quickly are most likely scammers.

Be familiar with Craigslist

Scammers often create lookalike sites to lure buyers into paying for items that don't exist. Always confirm the URL before finalizing a purchase. Craigslist does not back any transaction on its site. If you're offered purchase protection at a price, you're looking at a scam.

Craiglist Safety Tips for Sellers

Request cash payment when exchanging in person. If you're shipping your item, use a service such as PayPal for more security. Never accept a money order; this is usually a scam. Cashier's checks can be forged, so exercise caution when accepting these.

How can you tell its a fake check? ›

If the MICR line printing appears shiny in the light and/or the characters are raised, the check is a counterfeit. In addition, if there's no MICR line at the bottom of the check, it's fake.

By and large, credit cards are easily the most secure and safe payment method to use when you shop online. Credit cards use online security features like encryption and fraud monitoring to keep your accounts and personal information safe.

Can someone hack my bank account with my email address? Your email address alone is not enough for someone to hack your bank account, but if someone has your email address, they could potentially use this to extract more personal information about you that could ultimately help them to access your bank account.

If a seller encourages you to send a down payment or any form of money before receiving your item, this is a strong indication that they are trying to scam buyers. Some Craigslist scammers may ask you to send money to a foreign address because they “have suddenly been stationed overseas,” or something similar.

Once scammers have your email address and associated information, they can: Target you with sophisticated phishing emails. Your email address can be used to track down personal information like your phone number, where you bank, what online services you use, and even your home and work address.

Once a bank identifies a check as counterfeit, the depositor must cover the check's amount. Additional consequences include potential overdraft fees, late payment fees, and possible account closure. A negative banking history, such as being reported to ChexSystems, may result from depositing fake checks.

Craiglist Safety Tips for Sellers

Request cash payment when exchanging in person. If you're shipping your item, use a service such as PayPal for more security. Never accept a money order; this is usually a scam. Cashier's checks can be forged, so exercise caution when accepting these.

If you deposit a cashier's check that turns out to be counterfeit, your bank will reverse the deposit from your account. If you have already spent some or all of the money, you are responsible for paying it back to the bank. Your only recourse would be against the person who wrote the check-in the first place.