Safety

Common scams
  • Seller is out of the country or town - buyer will have to wire funds.
  • Rental price well below the average cost of the area.
  • Selling stolen property, nonexistent products, fake or canceled tickets.
  • Fake Checks/Overpayment Scams - Scammer sends fake check for more than the sale price and then asks you to wire part of the money back. The check or money order you receive looks real, but few days or weeks later, bank finds out that check is actually fake. Banks will hold you responsible for the checks you deposit - even though you don’t know they are fake.
  • Incredibly low price.
  • Bank instrument scams - BGs, SBLC, MTNs, DLC, LC, LTN, PPP, Blocked Funds, Monetization, Leasing, Investment and more.
  • Illegal money lending.
  • Scammers try to rent out homes they don't own and then disappear with deposits taken.
  • A buyer or seller who insists on using a specific (but in fact fraudulent) escrow company.
  • Scammer promises large payments for your help in getting a very large sum of money out of the country (Nigerian scams, etc.).
  • Requests for money - IT'S A SCAM!
  • Phishing emails - Scammer sends email message with the link that will secretly redirect you to a fake website in order to get your confidential, credit card or bank account information.
  • Request for disaster relief donation through the non-official website.

AVOID SCAMS AND FRAUD :

  • NEVER WIRE MONEY.
  • Deal locally only, in-person and with cash.
  • Don't buy the product unless you have seen it physically.
  • Meet in a public place with many people around. Be cautious when buying or selling high value items.
  • Be extra cautious if checking of goods or services takes place in your or someone's home. Always bring a friend.
  • Never accept any checks (money orders, certified checks, etc.) from unknown persons.
  • Avoid taking out loans from illegal money lenders.
  • Never rent or lease a home sight unseen.
  • Do not send checks or payment to a person you have never met.
  • Do not deposit any check (money order, certified check, etc.) from unknown person into your bank account.
  • Do not give out your address, personal, credit card or banking information to people you don’t know.
  • Contact with the real owner of the property.
  • If you are unsure if something is real or not, call your bank's correct contact number.
  • Inform yourself about common scams.
  • Be aware, something that is too good to be true, it's a most likely a scam.