Every time we see a Craigslist murder we are reminded that buying stuff from strangers through the internet is no walk in the park. But these ten tips could turn it into one.
10.) Be friendly
You don’t need to take the person you meet fishing or tell him/her life lessons and stories about your childhood, but it helps if you treat each other nicely and work out the trust issues.
Suggested By: CobraJoe, Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures
9.) Don’t meet at your place
What happened to Budd? Exactly.
Suggested By: Jid, Photo Credit: Miramax Films
8.) Don’t meet after dark
Why would you? No car can be that important.
Suggested By: TeamProBono, Photo Credit: Warner Bros
7.) Don’t hold all your cash
It’s not smart to carry lots of cash with you while meeting a stranger. Wire transfer, checks, and PayPal will stop that problem, but paying cash is a great way to seal a deal on CL. A smart compromise is don’t have all the cash on your person. Put the cash in a safe spot in your locked car, not just in your wallet. Only take out the full amount when you’ve finished the deal and seen all the paperwork.
Suggested By: CobraJoe, Photo Credit: Getty Images
6.) Meet at a police station
With cameras and cops everywhere, you’ll be fine.
Suggested By: signinsrlame, Photo Credit: Getty Images
5.) Meet at a bank
Some people don’t like police stations, and that’s fine. Banks have enough cameras too, plus they guarantee a secure transaction.
Suggested By: POD, Photo Credit: Getty Images
4.) Trust your gut
It might sounds silly, but if something smells fishy, it usually is. Abort the mission and get out of there.
Suggested By: Green Pig, Photo Credit: Paramount
3.) Tell somebody about the meeting
If you can’t call 911, somebody else should do it for you.
Suggested By: WebMattR, Photo Credit: Getty Images
2.) Bring a friend
Just in case you need backup, it’s always a good idea to have a companion.
Suggested By: Duck, Photo Credit: Warner Bros
1.) Push Craigslist towards introducing identity checks
Craigslist should learn some tricks from Ebay. The world would be a safer place.
Suggested By: solracer, Photo Credit: Getty Images
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