Craigslist email scams: how to spot the fake buyer or seller
Quick answer
A Craigslist buyer or seller who won't meet in person, sends a check for too much or asks for a code, gift card or wire is a scammer. Craigslist says dealing locally and face to face avoids most scams. Stop replying, don't click links, and report it to the FTC.
- Pretends to be
- Craigslist
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How it works
Scammers answer your listing, or post one, and move fast to email or text, away from the site. They are usually not local and the first message is vague ("is this still available?").
Craigslist's own safety pages describe the common scripts:
- The overpayment check. A "buyer" sends a cashier's check for more than your price and asks you to wire back the difference. Craigslist warns that banks will cash a fake check and then hold you responsible when it fails to clear.
- The code request. You're told to read out or enter a verification code. Craigslist says it only verifies phone numbers when you create a posting, so any other code request is a scam.
- The middleman. Shipping agents, "guaranteed" payment services and online escrow sites, which Craigslist says are often fraudulent. There is no "craigslist voicemail" service either.
- The seller who won't meet. A great price on an item you can't see, with payment up front by wire or gift card.
The goal is money, or your phone number, logins or bank details.
Red flags
- The other person isn't local and won't meet face to face
- A check or money order for more than the price, with a request to send back the difference
- A request for a verification code, or for a Craigslist "verification" step
- Payment by wire transfer, gift card or cashier's check from someone you haven't met
- A shipping agent, escrow service or "guaranteed payment" site you didn't pick
- Pressure to move off Craigslist email and onto text or another app
Example message
Hi, I'm interested in your item and I'm out of town, so my shipping agent will pick it up. I'll send a cashier's check for a bit more than your price to cover the agent's fee. Please send the extra back by [payment method] once you get it. My email is [email address].
What to do
- 1
If you only got the message
Don't reply and don't click links in it. To check a posting or your account, log in to the site directly. Flag the posting or message on Craigslist.
- 2
Meet locally and take payment in person
Craigslist says dealing locally and in person avoids most scams. Don't ship to someone you haven't met, and don't accept a check for more than your price.
- 3
If you deposited a check and sent money back
Call your bank now and tell them it was a fake check. Don't wait for the check to clear: a bank can cash a fake check and later take the money back from you.
- 4
If you gave out a code, a login or card details
Change the password on the affected account, turn on two-step verification, and call your bank or card issuer on the number printed on your card.
- 5
If you were scammed in person
Contact your local police as well as the reporting channels below.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Craigslist scammers pick up your email address or phone number from your own listing, and they can pair it with your name and address from people-search sites and old breaches. Serus finds the data brokers and people-search sites that list your name, phone number and email where you live and removes you from them, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
Common Craigslist scams
- Craigslist fake check scam A Craigslist buyer who sends a check for more than your asking price and asks you to send the difference back is a scammer. The check is fake, even if it shows up in your balance. Don't deposit it, don't send anything back, and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Craigslist verification code scam A Craigslist buyer who asks you to read back a code sent to your phone is a scammer. The FTC says it's a way to set up a Google Voice number linked to your number. Craigslist says it only asks for a phone code when you post. Never share a code you didn't request.
Frequently asked
Is Craigslist itself a scam?
No. Craigslist is the platform scammers use. Its own safety pages warn about these scams and explain how to report them.
Is it safe to give a buyer a verification code?
No. Craigslist says it only verifies phone numbers when you create a posting, so any other request for a code is a scam.
Why would a buyer send a check for too much?
It sets up the overpayment scam. You send back real money, and the check later bounces. Craigslist warns that banks will cash fake checks and then hold you responsible.
Where do I report a Craigslist scam?
Flag it on Craigslist, then report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3. If you were defrauded in person, tell local police.
Sources
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