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  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Help from experienced craigslist users needed

Bigrob

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I have listed on craisglist sporadically in the past; recently I have noticed a higher "flag" rate.

Typically when I ask the CL community why an ad is flagged, I get some less than helpful responses such as, "why don't you give them the key when you check them in and collect the money then," or "people hate timeshares and don't want to sit through a presentation" etc. But recently two posters quickly pointed out being remote and using paypal screams "scam" and in fact craigslist own guidelines strongly discourage it, as shown in the text below.

So my question to the experienced craigslist advertisers is this - what are you doing to avoid getting flagged and to provide renters confidence? Thanks in advance for your help.

Avoiding Scams

Deal locally, face-to-face —follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scam attempts.

Do not extend payment to anyone you have not met in person.
Beware offers involving shipping - deal with locals you can meet in person.
Never wire funds (e.g. Western Union) - anyone who asks you to is a scammer.
Don't accept cashier/certified checks or money orders - banks cash fakes, then hold you responsible.
Transactions are between users only, no third party provides a "guarantee".
Never give out financial info (bank account, social security, paypal account, etc).
Do not rent or purchase sight-unseen—that amazing "deal" may not exist.
Refuse background/credit checks until you have met landlord/employer in person.
Who should I notify about fraud or scam attempts?

United States

Internet Fraud Complaint Center
FTC Video: How to report scams to the FTC
FTC complaint form and hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)
Consumer Sentinel/Military (for armed service members and families)
SIIA Software and Content Piracy reporting
(Ohio only) Ohio Attorney General Consumer Complaints
Canada

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or 888-495-8501 (toll-free)
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
If you are defrauded by someone you met in person, contact your local police department.

If you suspect that a craigslist post may be connected to a scam, please send us the details.

Recognizing scams

Most scams attempts involve one or more of the following:

Email or text from someone that is not local to your area.
Vague initial inquiry, e.g. asking about "the item." Poor grammar/spelling.
Western Union, Money Gram, cashier check, money order, paypal, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee."
Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face to complete the transaction.
Examples of Scams

1. Someone claims your transaction is guaranteed, that a buyer/seller is officially certified, OR that a third party of any kind will handle or provide protection for a payment:

These claims are fraudulent, as transactions are between users only.
The scammer will often send an official looking (but fake) email that appears to come from craigslist or another third party, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, or pretending to handle payments.
2. Distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check:

You receive an email or text (examples below) offering to buy your item, pay for your services in advance, or rent your apartment, sight unseen and without meeting you in person.
A cashier's check is offered for your sale item as a deposit for an apartment or for your services.
Value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item—scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service.
Banks will cash fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, sometimes including criminal prosecution.
Scams often pretend to involve a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate, etc.).
3. Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram:

Deal often seems too good to be true, price is too low, or rent is below market, etc.
Scam "bait" items include apartments, laptops, TVs, cell phones, tickets, other high value items.
Scammer may (falsely) claim a confirmation code from you is needed before he can withdraw your money.
Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, UK, Netherlands—but could be anywhere.
Rental may be local, but owner is "travelling" or "relocating" and needs you to wire money abroad.
Scammer may pretend to be unable to speak by phone (scammers prefer to operate by text/email).
4. Distant person offers to send you a cashier's check or money order and then have you wire money:

This is ALWAYS a scam in our experience—the cashier's check is FAKE.
Sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not.
Scammer often asks for your name, address, etc. for printing on the fake check.
Deal often seems too good to be true.
5. Distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service:

Most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT and operated by scammers.
For more info, do a google search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud."
6. Distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which they will ship goods:

He says he trusts you with the partial payment.
He may say he has already shipped the goods.
Deal often sounds too good to be true.
7. Foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds:

Foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly.
You are typically offered a percentage of payments received.
This kind of "position" may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email.
 

easyrider

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Use craigslist to link to your own marketing such as your own website or others like vrbo.

Bill
 

Bigrob

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Use craigslist to link to your own marketing such as your own website or others like vrbo.

Bill

Links are one of the things that can get a Craigslist ad flagged.
 

tschwa2

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Sometimes flag-ers are competitors trying to remove your ad. This happens periodically in places like Orlando with a big vacation rental market.
 

Tank

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HICV Lake Geneva
HICV Gatlinburg
HICV Orange Lake Kissemee
I have had the same problem, spent hours posting to markets waking up the next morning and finding 75% flagged.
Recently almost immediately , find it hard to believe someone could get it that fast (like a automatic flag)

I was going to message a couple of you I see here that have good luck with Craigslist like Ron P recently was talking about in another link, properly written and all to get responses.

Will be a interesting read as we go
 

chapjim

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I don't think it is wise or useful to complain on Craig's List about flagging on Craig's List.

For one, the trolls there know nothing about anything people are listing and not very much about anything at all. They live in their Moms' basements. Two, if you complain, you'll find all your listings flagged.

I had sixteen listing on Craig's List a year or so ago. A couple got flagged, I complained and was asked, "How many listings do you have?" I responded truthfully and got accused of spamming. Tried to explain that they were one listing each for sixteen different reservations. No matter -- definitely spamming. Then, "Do you own all of those places?" So, I tried to explain points-based timeshares. Next day, I had no active listings.

If you get flagged, wait a couple of days and re-post the listing. Change the wording in the title around a bit, especially if you use the same format for all your listings, as I do.
 
Last edited:

ronparise

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I think the problems reported here are unique to certain markets.. At least so far. I havent had a problem and I just expanded into another market

I always post my name and phone number. Perhaps that helps if someone is flagging spammers
 

SmithOp

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Agree with Chapjim, the flag posse hangs out in the flag help forum and delight in trolling and flagging all your ads. They have hidden secret forums where they discuss and solicit help flagging what they deem as spammers.

Mix up your titles and ad copy, it makes it easier for flag posse to search out your ads. Save your ads in a text document so you can paste them easily. Use the repost option on your account page to bump the ones that stay up, they dont like people that start a lot of ads to stay at the top of the page. Avoid using timeshare, stick with vacation rental. Nothing wrong with requesting an email or phone call for more info then you can send link to your site.

Craig started it as a community list and the fanatics want to keep it as local as possible, they will flag if you are advertising multiple locations or remote (ad is Orlando but you indicate you are in NJ).

Sometimes it is a bored competitor, nothing you can do about getting flagged, try posting at a different time of day.


Sent from my iPad Mini 4 using Tapatalk
 

DeniseM

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Craigslist can be a PITA. If you are suddenly getting flagged a lot, someone is probably looking for your Ads and singling you out.

The best strategy is to take about a week off from Craigslist, and then repost slowly.

Make sure your Ad titles are very different and change up your content, too.

Brief Ads are better. No links. No more than 2-3 pictures. Don't use the same pictures all the time. Don't use the word "timeshare." Don't sound "professional."
 
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