Selling items on Craigslist, any advice or safety tips? How not to get ripped off?

[SamsungVibrant]

Hello, well I'm selling an extra phone on Craigslist. Found a few people interested, and I'm suppose to meet someone this weekend and sell the phone to him.

I already mentioned I will only accept cash. Are there any other things I should know to protect myself from a possible scam? I've never sold anything on Craigslist, so I just want to be careful.

I also told this person to meet me at a public spot like Starbucks so they don't try jumping me for my phone.

Any other suggestions? Should I provide a written receipt or something? Should I check ID, should I provide my ID on a hand written receipt? The phone is in perfect condition, should I ask him to sign something saying he is purchasing as is in good condition? I know these are stupid questions, but I've never sold things on Craigslist and I just want to protect myself from a possible crazy person.

Thanks

 

[bearsfan85]

All my cl dealings have been show up pay cash and leave never to be seen again, I wouldnt leave anything with him other than the phone, no ID or anything,

 

[Super_Six_Two]

I have never sold something of high value on craigslist but you have the right ideas so far. Cash is good, the public place is good, you also might want to bring someone with you. The small transactions I have done have all been take cash, hand over item, no receipt.

 

[SamsungVibrant]

I have never sold something of high value on craigslist but you have the right ideas so far. Cash is good, the public place is good, you also might want to bring someone with you. The small transactions I have done have all been take cash, hand over item, no receipt.

Good Idea, I will bring someone with me. I'm thinking twice about giving a receipt or my ID, I don't think it's a good idea for a stranger to have my drivers license number. Dunno why I even considered that.

 

[Member138406]

I buy and sell on CL all the time, this is probably more info then your looking for but maybe it will help others too.

-Pretty much what everyone is saying cash only.

-It is good to put "As Is" in ads. So if they email you again you have that to fall back on.

-Meet in a public place if its a portable thing. If your buying or selling something that needs to be hooked up to test (TV, PS3, Computer, Ect) always try to meet at their house. Not only so your identity stays safe, but also if they screw you, you know where they live.

-Generally I have found people will always try to get you to lower the price so stand your ground, don't be afraid to walk away from the sale, especially since you probably have a few more email replies.

-Going with someone is ok, but not really needed in a public place. And remember they could feel just as unsafe as you do and now all of a sudden your rolling up with another person, would be nice to warn them your friend is tagging along if your going to go that route.

-For phones, if I am buying a phone its good to meet at the Verizon store (or w/e your service provider is) and ask if they will stay while you active and vice versa.

-Make sure you completely erase the phone's internal storage and SD card if there is one.. I bought a pre plus a while ago from someone, there was bonus naked pictures of his GF on it.

I have done over 50 transactions on CL, only one went bad... I was giving away a old tv for free, and the guy lead me on for days and then when he eventually decided on pick up place he stood me up. Other then that I have found CL to be an incredible place to buy and sell stuff.

 

[Snow_Fox]

Funny I have been thinking about buying a phone over CL

I can't force myself to do it though..

Even if they are legit (no way of telling that in the first place) If the phone dies.. I have no receipt no warranty or anything.. I'm sol..

If they are trying to screw up.. you can never tell what "selective defects" a phone has.. For example I know a guy who's razr will shut off every so often when he closes it..

So if I were hypothetically buying it from him.. I would "test it".. it would work.. then bam..... I miss an important call later because I was unaware the reason he was selling it is once out of every 10 times you close it.. it turns completely off.

Now.. since all the phones I want are touch screen.. thats not as big of a problem.. but, I would be worried about other issues.. Some phones (even two of the same model) can have vastly different problems which only really surface over time..

Also... I would *NEVER* meet at someones home.. I would haul a freaken monitor out to mcdonalds or starbucks and plug the ps3 up there.. but, I'm just sayin I'm paranoid.

With that said.. I would def bring a friend and warn them.. hell even extend the offer for them to bring a friend and meet in public.. and definitely make sure they leave star bucks before I do. (so I can be 100% they don't follow me.)

If I were selling I would make sure I left no way for them to get in contact.. and if I was buying I would try to make sure I could get a hold of them.. but, yeah.. I'm paranoid..

 

[J03]

Good Idea, I will bring someone with me. I'm thinking twice about giving a receipt or my ID, I don't think it's a good idea for a stranger to have my drivers license number. Dunno why I even considered that.

lol, no not a good idea at all. The whole point of a cash transaction is to hand over the item and never see the person again. There is not much they can do to "scam" you once you part ways because there are no credit cards or paypal to refute.

BTW, the whole reason for meeting in a public place (besides not getting jumped) is so the person DOESN'T know where you live haha. Just meet him, maybe bring a friend, and take the cash first. Then hand over the phone and wait for him to leave first (maybe pretend to hang out at starbucks a bit with your friend). This is more than I normally do but it's still a safe route to take.

I have done over 50 transactions on CL, only one went bad... I was giving away a old tv for free, and the guy lead me on for days and then when he eventually decided on pick up place he stood me up. Other then that I have found CL to be an incredible place to buy and sell stuff.

Man stuff for free I usually just put in the ad "first come, first serve, no exceptions" and leave it at the end of my driveway, never to deal with the person who takes it. Usually the stuff doesn't last for hours, let alone days. Someone even showed up once in the middle of down pouring rain to pick up a grill and another strapped an old mattress to the top of their SUV in the rain haha.

 

[Member138406]

Man stuff for free I usually just put in the ad "first come, first serve, no exceptions" and leave it at the end of my driveway, never to deal with the person who takes it. Usually the stuff doesn't last for hours, let alone days. Someone even showed up once in the middle of down pouring rain to pick up a grill and another strapped an old mattress to the top of their SUV in the rain haha.

Well this TV was actually my moms she wanted to get rid of. So I was not to keen on posting her address out there. If it was my house I would not really care too much.

The guy lead me on with this sad story too. He was like, his cousins family died in a car crash and he had to take care of their kid now and he wanted a TV for him to watch cause he didn't have anything in his home for a kid to be entertained by. He was like offering to clean and paint my house if I held it for him. I was like its ok dude ill hold it for you no need to do that... Lol.

It really is amazing what you can get rid of on CL. We tore up our whole backyard that was laid with old school bricks, so we had like 5000 bricks just sitting out back for a while. I posted it on CL, in less then 24 hours there was like a team of 2 pick up trucks and 5 guys hauling these bricks away.