By

Emma Secker, Staff Writer

Barely scraping by in today’s suffering economy, students can be driven into the virtual arms of the Internet for bargains on their material needs and desires. Many students turn to Craigslist where they can buy and sell almost any product, as well as find jobs, houses, babysitters and even dating prospects. Unfortunately, Craigslist leaves users vulnerable to scam, identity fraud and other related crimes.

Though Craigslist is a convenient way for one to profit from selling and buying products and services at a reasonable cost, if users are not careful, they can sometimes pay a heavier price for their exchange than just cash.

According to craigslistcrimes.com, an 18-year-old girl was raped when she met a man on Craigslist who supposedly was to “interview” her for a job as a shot girl. When she met up with him, he forced her to drink, telling her it was part of the interview. He then drove her to a hotel to “conduct the interview” and raped her.

Many such Craigslist horror stories have taken place. Buying and selling with strangers is risky enough, but the fact Craigslist also provides networking for other, more personal services makes it a breeding ground for deception and criminality. In order to use Craigslist safely, there are several precautions one can take.

One way users can improve their safety when meeting with a person is to follow the “buddy system.” Having a friend present during the transaction will help ensure boundaries are not crossed on either end. If the advertiser who is selling the product turns out to be shady or fraudulent, there will be another person on hand to call for help if necessary.

Transactions should always take place in a neutral location so neither party’s private residence is revealed. If one allows the person to drop off the product at their own house, even if the actual exchange is legitimate, that person now knows where the user lives, which could potentially be risky. A public setting also mitigates the possibility of violence.

These maxims are not limited to buying and selling goods. Craigslist users who utilize the website for its other services should absolutely take precautions as well. For those who use Craigslist to find babysitters, set up job interviews or even arrange “casual encounters,” more caution should be taken. Users should, if possible, conduct some research to be sure the person is who they say they are before consenting to meet.

If purchasing something of high value such as a used car, it is wise to request a background check on the vehicle before agreeing to buy it, to make sure the car is a steal but not actually stolen. Also, if the owner’s maintenance information does not coincide with the auto report, there may be a reason the owner is unloading their car for such a basement price.  

Finally, the Craigslist website itself informs users of common sense ways to remain safe while buying and selling goods and services. It advises to not release personal or financial information or wiring funds via Western Union or Money Gram and to look for fake cashier checks and money orders.  

Though there have been a fair number of instances in which Craigslist has brought harm to unsuspecting users, what enables this to happen is usually an unaware user. One must be cautious and even suspicious when using Craigslist: If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Those who choose to ignore red flags can easily fall prey to scams.

“The overwhelming majority of Craigslist users are trustworthy and well-intentioned,” according to the Craigslist website. “With billions of human interactions facilitated through Craigslist, the incidence of violent crime has been very low.”

Though this might be true, nobody wants their name on a Craigslist crime list. In order to avoid these cons, Craigslist frequenters should exercise all recommended precautions and remember a good deal is not worth the price of one’s safety.

—Emma Secker is an English junior.

—This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.