Craiglist.cim (2024)

FAQs

Does anybody use Craigslist anymore? ›

Do People Still Use Craigslist? Absolutely. You can search your local area on Craigslist and find used furniture, cars, rentals, and even jobs.

Contacting Someone on Craigslist

To reply to a Craigslist post, just click the reply button. To use your device's default email app, select the first link. Otherwise, select the web-based email you use (like Gmail or Yahoo) or copy and paste the email address at the bottom of the window into a new email manually.

Scammers often use fake sites to lure buyers into paying for items that don't exist. Always check the URL before finalizing a purchase. Craigslist does not back any transaction on its site. If you receive an email or text trying to sell you purchase protection, you're looking at a scam.

Additionally, bot-generated ads will often have odd spacing on the page, or be formatted strangely, or just be simply too good to be true. They are designed to stand out and entice the un-savvy to reply. Frequently, bot-generated ads will have photos that can help you identify whether the ad is legitimate.

The best alternative to Craigslist, in our opinion, is Offer Up. The app offers a robust array of listings, is easy to use, includes a verified account feature, and includes buyer ratings. Other worthy alternatives to Craigslist include Facebook Marketplace, Locanto, Mercari, and Recycler.

Facebook Marketplace is better than Craigslist if you're trying to sell merchandise as fast as possible. Listing is easier, and same goes for messaging potential buyers and arranging sales. The downside of the Facebook Marketplace is that you can't post services, so it's just for resellers.

To protect buyer and seller privacy, Craigslist keeps email addresses hidden. However, even with this security system, you might want to take additional precautions when responding to emails from Craigslist.

Always use a proxy email address or phone number

Craigslist provides proxy email addresses to sellers, and it's a good idea to use them so browsers can't spam your actual email address.

Some Craigslist listings will offer a phone contact to call or text, though most listings will only offer an email contact. You can click an email link to open your email app automatically or copy and paste the link into an email program later.

Don't share personal details. Never disclose your personal or financial information to strangers online. There is no need for your Craigslist contact to know your bank account number, home address, or date of birth. You might share your cell phone number with someone you are meeting in person, but not more.

Is Craigslist sketchy? ›

The Dark Side: Scammers, Stalkers, and Setups. Scammers use Craigslist to steal money from unsuspecting victims by placing fraudulent advertisem*nts with incredible deals. Buyers are asked to send money orders or checks online, and after making payment, never receive their item.

Craigslist blocks number written more than one time, so when someone has more than two ads, they spell out the rest.

What can a Craigslist scammer do with my phone number? If a Craigslist scammer has your phone number and gets you to verify a code sent to that number, they can use it to open a Google Voice account. With that account, they can continue running scams using your phone number.

A buyer contacts a seller to purchase an item. The scammer pretends to be interested in buying the item and asks the seller to provide them with a “secret code” that was sent to their phone via a text message. The scammer claims that they need this code to verify the seller's identity and proceed with the transaction.

It is best never to trust someone on Craigslist fully to avoid the risks of encountering a scam. However, certain signs can suggest whether the person is a genuine buyer or seller. Most Craigslist scammers will not agree to meet in person. Instead, even local sellers will prefer shipping.

Craigslist is a legitimate website, and most Craigslist posts are legitimate and trustworthy as well. However, just like any other online platform, it can be used by scammers.

Craigslist's website drives 50 billion page views each month. There are more than 700 local craigslist sites in 70 countries.

One of the main reasons why the UI/UX of Craigslist is so poor is that the platform has not undergone a significant redesign in over a decade. The platform's design is outdated and lacks the modern features and functionality that users have come to expect from online marketplaces.

Revenue of Craigslist 2018-2022

Craigslist lost almost half its revenue from 2018 to 2020, going from about one billion to 566 million U.S. dollars. However, the classifieds website's revenue grew after the decline in 2020, reaching 694 million U.S. dollars in 2022.