Top Things to Know About Online Local Listing Scams
Consumers lose billions of dollars every day due to online scams. Most of these scams are listed on local listing sites such as Craigslist and even eBay. To ensure that you are not scammed, you should become educated on reported listing scams. Here are the top things to know about online local listing scams.
It is highly likely that you will get any money back if you are scammed. You can file a complaint or even a lawsuit, but unless the scam artist is located your chances are not at all hopeful.
Some of the reported apartment listing scams have been discovered on Craigslist. These scams have often included highly coveted New York apartments. The listings requested expensive deposits to reserve the apartment without a face to face meeting. The scam artists collected over $60,000 on these fraudulent deposits.
The car scam has plagued both eBay and Craigslist. In this scam, the buyer of the vehicle sends the seller a money order. The scam artist sends this money order for an amount larger than the price of the vehicle. This fake buyer demands a refund in a time period, that ensures that the money order has yet to clear the bank. Little do you know, that the money order is counterfeit and if you send the refund the fake buyer just made a profit off their scam.
If you are selling items online, require your buyers to pay by PayPal or credit card. By accepting checks or money orders you run the risk of getting scammed. You should watch out for buyers in other countries, primarily Nigeria. The inclusion of business partners for a simple purchase is a guaranteed tip off of a scam. Require payment upfront before shipping any items.
Escrow scams usually involve a bargain on an expensive item. Once the potential buyer contacts this seller regarding the sale, they are told that the purchase will be handled by an escrow service. If you consider using an escrow service to make a purchase online, ensure that it is a well known company. A scam artist involved in an escrow scam will suggest their choice of services, and you can be assured the service is fraudulent.