Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeH
Buying:
Ads with prices way below market value and with no contact info are typically going to be scams. Flag them and move on.
I keep an e-mail address just for Craigslist communications. No worries about my primary e-mail getting spammed. If I were to start getting a huge amount of spam at that address, I'd just make a new one.
When responding to an ad, mention the item in the e-mail, mention what part of town you live in. This lets the seller know that YOU are not a scammer and will increase the odds they respond. Scammers send e-mail like, "Is it still available?" If you send one like that, you probably aren't going to get a response.
Selling:
Including a phone number in your ad lets local buyers know that you're not in Nigeria. Spelling out the numbers in the listing keeps the spam-bots from grabbing your number.
Putting some hint as to where you live (ie major cross streets) keeps people from calling and asking where you are located.
Firm but fair prices reduces the number of silly lowball offers.
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Good advice. I always respond to CL ads with this:
"Please call me anytime @ (323) 555-xxxx or send back your # and best time to call." I'm afraid that still my inquiries sometimes wind up in their spam folder because I put "Mercedes" or something in the subject line.
Can you advise me on a good email account just for CL? Email phishing is a serious problem on the site. I use gmail and I've heard that it's not good for CL, some sellers will not accept any emails from gmail or hotmail because of their popularity with scammers(?) The problem is that it's a 2-way street; trying to protect yourself while not being mistaken for a scammer yourself by someone's email filter. PIA.
