Beware of Scammers when Posting on CRAIGSLIST.COM

Sellers beware when you post ads on craigslist.com. This site features free classified advertisements with access to specific locations in the United States and just about any other country around the world that you can think of. While being very convenient it is, however, a huge feeding frenzy for scammers.

I recently tried to sell a few items on craigslist.com only to get replies from people who were trying to scam me. Craigslist.com posts directly on it's site about how to avoid these scams and protect yourself from fraud. It states to "Deal locally with folks you can meet in person...and you will avoid 99% of scam attempts." This is the number one mistake that most sellers make. Other steps that you can take to avoid being scammed include:
Never accept any type of wire service for payment such as Western Union or Money Gram. Anyone who wants you to do this is a scammer.
Don't accept any cashier checks or money orders. Banks will cash them and then hold you responsible when they are discovered to be fake.
Craigslist.com is not involved in any transactions. Anyone who says that craigslist.com is handling the payment, guaranteeing the transaction, or providing any buyer or seller services is trying to scam you.
Never give out your personal information such as bank account numbers, social security number, eBay or PayPal info.
Avoid transactions that involve shipping or escrow services and remember that only a scammer will guarantee their transactions.

Craigslist.com also has a list of websites and phone numbers where you can report fraud and scams.