Personal Safety Tips
The overwhelming majority of people are trustworthy and well-intentioned.
Nevertheless, it's very important to take the same precautions online as you would offline.
When meeting someone for the first time, please remember to:
- Insist on a public meeting place like a cafe
- Tell a friend or family member where you're going
- Take your cell phone along if you have one
- Consider having a friend accompany you
- Trust your instincts
You can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense rules:
- DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts.
- NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
- FAKE CASHIER CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
- FREE CLASSIFIED IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification"
- NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
- AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
Who should I notify about fraud or scam attempts?
Taking these simple precautions helps make it safer for everyone.
For more information about personal safety online, check out these resources: