A few tips to avoid fraud, scams, and phishing
- Check the seller’s ratings, reviews, and read comments.
- Read the seller’s description of the item.
- Look closely at the photos the seller posts.
- If you have questions about an item, contact the seller.
Scammers often ask you to pay in ways that make it tough to get your money back.
- Don’t pay with wire transfers through companies like Western Union or MoneyGram.
- Don’t pay using gift cards like Google Play, iTunes, or other gift cards with codes or pins.
- Don’t buy from anyone who wants you to pay outside the marketplace’s payment system unless you agree to complete the transaction in person.
Phishing
- Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in unsolicited emails.
- Never share personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited, whether it’s over the phone, by email, on social media.
- Be cautious about what you share on social media.
Classifieds Meetup
- Always meet in a public place to complete a transaction.
- No matter what kind of meetup you’re going on, it is always safer to meet in an open and public place.
- Avoid meetings that take place in remote areas or anywhere that makes you feel uncomfortable.
- Before a meetup, let a friend or a family member know where you will be and what time you expect to be back.