Craigslist Scams: How to Spot Them as a Buyer or Seller

Most Craigslist scams follow one script: a deal that looks too good, a story about why you can't meet, and a push to pay, ship or share a code before you can check anything. Craigslist's own rule stops most of them: deal locally and face-to-face. See the item first, pay only when it's in your hands, keep the chat in Craigslist's mail relay and never read back a code that was texted to you.

Losses add up. The FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report counted 56,478 complaints about non-payment and non-delivery in 2025, its category for goods that are paid for but never arrive or shipped but never paid for. Reported losses came to about $503 million. The figures cover all online deals, not just Craigslist, and only include people who filed a report.

At katitrust we build a camera app that makes a seller's current photo verifiable, so we watch closely how scammers fake listings and payments. Below are the typical tricks for buyers and sellers and the first steps if it already happened. Facebook has its own set, covered in our guide to Facebook Marketplace scams.

Craigslist scams at a glance: the red flags to watch for

You can spot most Craigslist scams by a combination of warning signs: a price far below market value, a seller who can't meet and a demand to pay first by Zelle, Cash App, gift card or wire transfer. Requests for a code sent to your phone, checks for more than the price and offers of escrow or shipping complete the picture.

• Too good to be true: The price is far below what similar items sell for.
• No meeting possible: The seller is deployed or out of state and offers to ship.
• Pay first: You're asked for a deposit before you've seen the item.
• Payments you can't take back: Zelle, Cash App, gift cards, a wire transfer or PayPal Friends and Family.
• Off the relay right away: The other person wants to text, call or email instead.
• A code or a link: Someone asks you to read back a code or to "confirm" a payment through a link.
• Too much money: A buyer's check is for more than your price, and they want the difference back.

Craigslist's safety page on avoiding scams is unusually direct. It calls requests to wire money, pay with gift cards or deposit a cashier's check scams, and it warns that requests to use an escrow service can be a scam too. Requests for a "code" or "verification" are always a scam, according to the same page. Any one of these requests is reason enough to stop.

Why Craigslist works differently from Facebook Marketplace

Craigslist is built around local deals. Its safety advice comes down to one rule, deal locally and face-to-face, and it tells users not to provide or accept payment before meeting in person. Facebook has a checkout with Purchase Protection for eligible orders, but Craigslist's safety pages describe no purchase protection of their own. Instead, they list "guaranteed" transactions and payment processing services among the things to beware of. Whatever protection you get comes from how you pay.

A Craigslist post also tells you little about the person behind it: no public profile, no seller ratings, often just a relay email address. That protects your privacy, but you have to judge the deal itself. Craigslist recommends discussing the item through its mail relay and lists requests to call or email for more information among the warning signs. Our guide on how to tell if a seller is legit covers the checks that still work, from the photos to the payment method.

Upfront payments and deposits: the classic Craigslist scam for buyers

The most common scam against buyers is simple: you pay, and nothing arrives. On Craigslist, it usually comes with a story about why you can't see the item first. One of the scam emails Craigslist publishes as a warning offers a car from a seller whose platoon has supposedly been sent back to Afghanistan. The price is low because of a deadline, the car is supposedly in Baltimore, and the seller will "take care of shipping."

Other versions ask for a deposit to "hold" an item because other buyers are waiting. In our view, big items you can't simply pick up, such as cars, furniture or apartments, attract scammers because the deposits are large.

Craigslist housing deserves extra care. A fake landlord copies photos from a real listing, can't show the place because he lives far away and wants an application fee or deposit before you've been inside. Craigslist also warns against sharing your Social Security number, licenses or bank details with someone you met there. Our guide to rental scams shows how to check a listing and its landlord before you pay.

Zelle, Cash App and gift cards: why Craigslist scammers want them

The payment method is often the clearest tell, because scammers pick the ones you can't take back. Wells Fargo's Zelle FAQ says neither the bank nor Zelle offers purchase protection, and a payment to an enrolled recipient can't be canceled. Cash App's help center says payments between Cash App accounts are instant and usually can't be canceled. Both recommend sending money only to people you trust. Gift cards and wire transfers are an even clearer sign, since Craigslist calls requests for either one scams.

With PayPal, a seller who asks for "Friends and Family" wants you to give up Purchase Protection, which covers Goods and Services payments. Our guide to the PayPal Friends and Family scam explains the trick. Venmo's Purchase Protection likewise applies only to payments marked as a purchase or sent to a business profile.

For a local deal, cash after you've inspected the item is usually the simplest option, because the item and the money change hands at the same moment. Our guide to the safest way to pay on Facebook Marketplace compares every method for pickups and shipped items. The rules of each payment app are the same on Craigslist.

Fake escrow, shipping offers and "purchase protection" emails

Some scammers add a fake safety net. The seller suggests an escrow service, a shipper or a well-known brand's buyer protection that will supposedly hold your money until the item arrives. Then an official-looking email shows up with an invoice and a phone number.

Another of Craigslist's sample scam emails shows the pattern. A seller offers a cheap car and insists on payment through eBay, claiming to hold a purchase protection account there. Craigslist names the warning signs: payment online, a reference to a well-known company, the promise that a payment method is "safe" and an item that needs to be shipped.

Real escrow services exist, but if the other side picks the service, sends the link or has "their agent" call you, treat it as part of the scam. Shipping and movers are on Craigslist's list of warning signs too, since a local deal shouldn't need either. For cars, our guide to used car scams covers fake escrow, title fraud and how to check a VIN.

Fake listings, copied photos and items that don't exist

Many Craigslist scams start with an item the poster doesn't own. The photos come from another listing, an online store or a real estate site. A reverse image search with Google Lens, Bing or TinEye often shows within a minute whether the same picture appears elsewhere. No results don't mean the listing is safe, because fresh, edited or AI-generated pictures usually don't turn up.

Sometimes the older listing is the real one. In triangulation fraud, a middleman copies a genuine listing and has you pay the real seller, who then hands the item to him.

A simple test works for any listing: ask for a current photo of a detail the listing leaves out, such as the back, the serial number or the charger. Someone who really has the item can send one in minutes. A seller who dodges the request has told you something too.

Craigslist scams for sellers: fake checks, payment emails and codes

Selling carries its own risks. The FTC's alert on selling stuff online names Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace as places where scammers target sellers, and it describes these tricks:

• Fake payment notifications: A buyer insists on a payment app, sends a fake notification and hopes you hand over the item before you notice.
• Bogus refund requests: The buyer claims they paid too much and asks for the difference back.
• Overpayment by check: A check arrives for more than your price, and you're asked to return the rest.
• Code requests: A "buyer" wants to make sure you're real and asks for a code sent to your phone.

The check trick works because of timing. According to the FTC, banks must make deposited money available quickly, usually within two days, but it can take weeks to figure out that a check was fake. By then, the item and the money you sent back are gone. Craigslist's scam email examples show how bold this gets: for an $800 bike, a "client" promises a certified check for $4,000, and the seller is supposed to wire $3,000 through Western Union.

The FTC notes that many sites recommend selling to a local buyer you meet in person and only accepting cash. It also advises against mobile payments from strangers and against depositing a check for more than the selling price. Our guide to Facebook Marketplace seller scams covers every trick aimed at sellers, and they work the same way on Craigslist.

What a Craigslist scammer can do with your phone number

The most common use of your number is the code trick. According to the FTC's alert on the Google Voice scam, scammers target people who post things for sale on sites like Craigslist. They say they want to make sure you're a real person and trigger a code to your phone. With that code, they try to set up a Google Voice number linked to your phone number.

That number helps them hide their identity while they cheat other people. If they also gather enough of your personal information, the FTC says, they could pretend to be you to get into your accounts. If you already shared a code, the FTC points to Google's steps for reclaiming your number. In our view, the rule goes beyond Google Voice: a code sent by text usually confirms a login, so anyone who asks for one wants the keys to an account.

Your number alone also invites fake texts. Craigslist's phone scam examples show a message claiming your account was reported as fraudulent and asking you to text back your email address. Craigslist only verifies phone numbers when you create a posting, so any other verification request is a scam. Don't reply or tap any link, and forward such texts to SPAM (7726), as Craigslist suggests.

How to avoid Craigslist scams when you buy or sell

Most of these tricks fail against a few habits that match the advice from Craigslist and the FTC above:

1. Deal locally, face-to-face: See the item in person and try it before any money changes hands.
2. Meet in a safe, public place: Craigslist suggests a bank or a police department. Some police departments set aside areas for buying and selling.
3. Pay and get paid on the spot: Cash after the inspection is simplest. Check any app payment in your own account, not in a screenshot.
4. Keep the chat in the relay: Share your phone number only when you need to, and never read back a code.
5. Take your time: A real seller can wait until tomorrow. Pressure is part of the script.

Craigslist's page on in-person deals also suggests telling a friend where you're going, taking someone along and trusting your instincts, especially with high-value items. If an item can only be shipped, look closely at the photos first and only pay with a method that lets you dispute the charge.

Check the item before you pay: a current photo with a check code

With a shipped item, one gap stays open: you only see the item after you've paid. A current photo whose origin you can check makes that gap smaller, and that's what we're building katitrust for. The seller takes the photo directly in the katitrust app, where uploads from the gallery aren't possible. Each capture gets a check code that the seller sends you by email or text.

When you enter the code, you see the original photo, when it was taken and roughly where, to within about 10 km (about 6 miles). You can compare that location with the listing. Our page on how to check an item before you pay explains how to ask for a photo of a detail the listing doesn't show. A code can be checked for 24 hours after the capture.

The limits are part of the picture. A check code shows that the file hasn't changed since capture. It doesn't show who owns the item or whether a device works, and a staged scene stays staged. The app is free and needs no account. For Android, it's out on Google Play, and the iPhone version is coming soon. If a buyer asks you for a code, our page for people asked for a check code shows the steps.

Scammed already? How to report a Craigslist scam

If you've already paid or handed over an item, act fast. The sooner your bank or payment app hears about it, the better the chance of stopping a payment. These steps follow Craigslist's guidance on reporting scams and the FTC's advice:

1. Contact your bank or payment app right away: Call your bank for Zelle or a bank transfer, report it in the app for Cash App, Venmo or PayPal, and contact the issuer for a gift card.
2. Save the evidence: Screenshot the post, the relay emails, any texts, the phone number and your payment receipt, because posts disappear quickly.
3. Flag the post: Flag the posting and the emails on Craigslist and send the details through its contact page.
4. Report it: Craigslist points US users to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and their state attorney general. For fraud by someone you met in person, contact your local police.

If you typed card details or a password into a page someone sent you, call your card issuer and change that password. Your chances of getting money back by payment method are covered in our guide on what to do if you got scammed on Facebook Marketplace, and the steps work the same after a Craigslist deal. For a fake apartment, see how to report a rental scam.

Frequently asked questions about Craigslist scams

Is Craigslist legit or mostly scams?

Craigslist is a legitimate classifieds site, and its safety pages say the overwhelming majority of users are trustworthy and well-meaning. Scams are common enough to take seriously, though. Treat any deal that asks you to pay, ship or share a code before you meet as a likely scam, and stick to local deals in person.

What can a Craigslist scammer do with my phone number?

The most common goal is a code. If you read back a code sent to your phone, the scammer can try to set up a Google Voice number linked to your number and use it to cheat others, according to the FTC. Your number can also receive fake payment texts and phishing links. Never share a code, and keep the chat in the mail relay.

Can you report Craigslist scams to the police?

Yes. Craigslist tells users to contact their local police if someone they met in person defrauded them. For online scams, it points US users to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and their state attorney general. Flag the post on Craigslist too, and keep screenshots of the chat and your payment.

Is a cashier's check safe on Craigslist?

Not from a stranger. Craigslist calls requests to deposit a cashier's check a scam. Fake checks can look real, and the FTC warns it can take weeks for a bank to discover a fake, long after the money shows up in your account. For a local sale, take cash and never deposit a check for more than your price.

Is it safe to use Cash App or Zelle on Craigslist?

Only with people you know and trust, which on Craigslist usually means not at all. Zelle offers no purchase protection, and Cash App says payments between accounts are instant and usually can't be canceled. If you pay first and the item never shows up, the money is likely gone. Cash after the inspection is safer.

How can you tell a Craigslist scammer?

Watch for a price far below market value, a story about why the seller can't meet, pressure to decide fast and a demand to pay first by Zelle, Cash App, gift card or wire transfer. A push to move to text and offers of escrow or shipping are warning signs too. Any request for a code is reason enough to stop.

Conclusion: Craigslist scams fall apart when you deal locally

Almost every one of these Craigslist scams needs your money, your item or a code before you can check anything. That's why Craigslist's own rule works so well: meet locally, see the item, then pay. Payment apps, gift cards, wire transfers, cashier's checks and escrow offers from strangers are where the trouble starts.

Sellers are protected by the same calm: no codes, no checks for more than the price, and nothing changes hands until the money is really there. Asking for a current, verifiable photo, or sending one yourself, makes the deal easier for honest people and harder for scammers.