Safety Tips

Protect your personal information
Avoid giving your full name, address, or other locating details unless absolutely necessary.

Use secure communication
Only communicate through email or text to document the transaction details. If you’re uncomfortable, stop the conversation. For high-value items, verify the Seller by asking for their phone number and testing it. Contact them and speak with them.

Meet in safe, public places
Agree to meet during daylight hours in a well-traveled, public area. Bring a friend or meet at a bank or police department’s designated exchange area if possible. Never meet at your home or in isolated locations.

Use secure payment methods
Accept only cash for in-person transactions. Avoid checks, wire transfers, or other methods scammers often use. If using a platform, stick to its secure payment options. Like PayPal – Venmo – Google Pay – Apple Pay. Always make sure the payment request, link or button clearly and fully indicates what you are buying and paying for. If there’s no details. Ask the Seller to provide a description of what the payment is for in the payment request. Never just pay for something without a detailed description of what the transaction is for.

Be wary of “too good to be true” offers
If a deal seems suspicious—offering rare or costly items at low prices. Beware.

Verify the item before handing it over
For in-person sales, inspect the item in person before agreeing to pay. For online sales, request clear photos and descriptions, and consider using a secure shipping service.

Ask Seller to Use Secure Shipping Companies
Only use USPS – UPS – FedEx – DHL and require a tracking number to verify shipment.

Keep transactions simple and documented
For high-value items, have a written agreement on email – text or take photos/videos of the transaction. 

By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of scams, theft, or harassment while still enjoying the benefits of online classifieds.