by Suzanne Fort

Created on: November 03, 2009   Last Updated: November 26, 2009

Craigslist can be a great place to buy and sell merchandise, meet new people, find a job, find a pet, or many other things you could possibly want to do. The best part about Craigslist is that it is free to list things and it's free to respond to the ads.

Although craiglist is wonderful marketplace to reach many people, there are precautions that should be taken. Basic common sense should dictate what would be appropriate or not. I will discuss some guidelines a person should follow.

You should not write anything personal information on ads such as your phone number, your home address, or your full name. If you are selling something, you could put your phone number on the ad, but e-mails are usually safer. In fact, Craigslist even allows you to have an anonymous email when you reply back to people responding to your ad. You may also be getting calls at all hours of the day and night if you post your phone number on Craigslist.

You should never need to tell anyone from Craigslist your full name. No one from Craigslist needs to know your real name.

A person's home address should only be given out if you are selling something and you'll need to have someone come pick up. If you can, meet the person in a public place to do the exchange. If the item must be exchanged at your house, make sure you have someone be with you when the person comes over.

If you are applying for a job, make sure you use the same safety that you would if you were meeting someone who was buying something you had. Make sure the business or job is legit. If need be, do some research. Let someone know where you are going. If you are not able to gather much information from the ad or the person, ask for references.

When dealing with personals on Craigslist you could end up meeting the man or woman or your dreams or your worst nightmare. If you decide to put an ad up yourself, don't mention where you work, your name, your number, your address, or anything that could give a would-be stalker too much information. When you go on your date, be sure to meet in a public place. Do not get in the car with the person you meet or meet at your house or their house. When you go out a few times, know more about the person, and feel really comfortable you can reevaluate your safety risk with that person.

Another thing people need to look out for are scams. There are get rich quick schemes. There are people who are selling stolen goods. Some people are even selling people's cars from the curb that don't even belong to them. If you are the person selling a car, don't allow the potential buyer to do a test drive without you. If you do decide to do the test drive, have someone go with you or have them bring their ID to take a copy of. People can just drive away with your car on one of these so-called test drives.

A person could go on and on about the risks associated with Craigslist, but if you use good judgement, and trust your instincts, Craigslist can be a great place for all.

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