What you need to know if your listing shows up on Craigslist
Craigslist scams are becoming more and more out of control, and they can affect REALTORS® and members of the public alike.
Criminals are scraping the information from the public MLS website or from syndication sites, and then they post the properties on Craigslist as if they are legitimate. In some cases, they will target potential renters by requesting a deposit be sent via wire transfer in order for the keys to be sent in the mail to the interested party. Unfortunately, people really fall for this. Not only does it harm the unsuspecting public, the homeowner whose property is listed is also harmed and, in some cases, have been sued.
MLS sites are the best avenues for publicizing properties for sale, but the criminally-minded have figured out a way to use that information on those sites to scam innocent people.
When we get a call or email about this, here’s what we advise you to do:
- On Craiglist, click “FLAG” at the top of the scam listing to report and remove the post.
- On Facebook Marketplace, click the small drop-down icon on the top right of the post, then click “Report listing” and/or “Report seller”.
- Share with your clients and the public how to avoid scams on Craigslist ➡️ https://www.craigslist.org/about/scams
- Share with your clients and the public how to avoid scams on Facebook Marketplace ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/help/196126404168290
Multiple flags and reports will bring the posting in question to Craigslist’s/Facebook’s attention, and they will eventually take the listing down after enough flags have been waved by enough people.
You also have the option of submitting the scam to IC3, the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a cyber crime arm of the FBI. File a complaint by CLICKING HERE.
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