Craiglist probably is the one site every smart person should avoid but fact is not everyone who posts ads on the site is a psycho. From time to time people seeking to declutter their homes post ads on Craiglist offering anything they need no longer to the first person who responds to their ad. Something like this: But that's just an example. There's lots of free stuff you can get but the risks involved . . .
You know, I found that people who are paying to post their ads on that site, namely ads from big cities such as New York, are the only legit ones who are really offering something worthy and valuable, the rest of them who post for free are to be doubted. Of course this is not a general rule and one could spend $500 and still be a complete psycho, but they are very rare.
I've seen a lot of ads on Craigslist in the free section for curb alerts, as well. In other words, they see a neighbor putting out something good to be picked up by the first person who comes along and is interested, and list it, to get the word out. The problem is, they don't always update the ad, so sometimes when people go to pick the item up, it's already gone.
I have posted free stuff on craigslist before. It's been great. I had a swingset to give away and that was the way to go. I've also posted items for sale too, and I've bought both items and services through the site with no problem. I didn't realize there are certain areas where people have to pay to post, as rightct said. I thought it was free for everyone.
I tend to stay away from Craigslist, free stuff or not. I have heard some terrible things about the website, and have seen a few documentaries where people using Craigslist have been led to their death, through false adverts from murderers. I don't like the website. It seems really unprofessional, and untrustworthy.
Many cities and towns are starting to set up "Safe Lots" for these type of exchanges, especially with the popularity of Craigslist and also the growing popularity of the Facebook garage sale sites. Hartford, CT made a parking lot available right next to the police department.
I'd heard of some police departments offering that people could do their Craigslist type exchanges in the police lobbies, but hadn't heard of the Safe Lots, which I think is a great idea. I usually meet people I sell to on Facebook groups in local store parking lots, such as Kroger or CVS, since the people also live in the area, and are familiar with those sites. They're public, so that decreases the chance of being robbed, but there have still been robberies when sales and transfers have occurred in these type of parking lots, so I'd love to see one or more Safe Lots set up here.
Unfortunately, our local craigslist doesn't have many free offerings on the listings but from time to time there will be one or two that pop up. The trend here is more inclined on trading which I think I'd the next best thing since you could just trade something you never use anymore for something you might like better, but I agree that it's much better to just find freebies.
Are they? i didn't know that at all. Unfortunately, all of the things that I have seen about craigslist have been utterly awful. I think that my mind has just been turned off from it now, and even if there were safe lots somewhere close to where it is that I live, I still don't think that i would take part in the freebies that Craigslist has to offer.
The thing about Craigslist free stuff is that it's incredibly competitive. There are people who resell their Craigslist finds on eBay, so many times by the time you see an item listed for free, it's already gone. One online tip I read said to get up early and have a truck ready to cart away items because people getting rid of furniture don't deliver.
We have a truck and we pick up free stuff from craigslist occasionally. Usually it's things I'm pretty sure I can resell or it's items that can be torn apart for scrap metal. It is very competitive in the free section. I also buy and sell on craigslist for other items so I usually feel pretty comfortable with it. Sure, people can be psychos...but you can find psychos anywhere. I used to work in a counseling office that did court ordered counseling for anger management issues, sex offenders, and sexually violent predators. Some of the scariest people seemed the most charming on the surface. You'd never know what they've done and are capable of. They could be anyone, anywhere. Many offenses, especially first time offenses were against people they knew well. How do you avoid that? Often they operated for years before getting caught the first time and got out easily because no one had proof of the earlier crimes that were later revealed only as dates, gender, and act as part of their counseling requirement. No one is ever really safe. Despite knowing that, I refuse to live in constant fear. Instead I take reasonable precautions - safe call, meeting in public, staying outside, or having a friend along if I have to go into a home. Then, I live my life.
I disagree. Craigslist is a place that smart people should utilize to get free stuff and get things they're looking for. I've done dozens of Craigslist transactions in person with mostly normal people over the years, and I've never had a problem. In fact, I've never experienced anything close to a problem. For whatever reason, I've never accepted anything for free from someone on Craigslist, but we did get our cat from a rescue service on the site.
I have used Craigslisst for many years and never had any problems. I think that most of the problems have come from people who are posting on the free personals ads, or answering those ads. I would certainly never think that this was a safe thing to do. The other side of that would be things that people are selling that cost a lot of money, for example, a vehicle. If you are going to go and look at a car and take along a few thousand dollars in your pocket, then you are a great prospect for a robbery. Or to have your car stolen, if you are the one selling the vehicle. When people are giving away items, then no money is involved; so it is probably pretty safe that they are actually trying to get rid of something. Anytime I have listed anything for free, I have had bunches of emails about the item. The main thing that I would caution you about with that, is to make sure the person is coming right away. Some people will keep you holding onto something for days, and maybe never get there at all. I always say that it has to be picked up that day, and if you can't come right away, then don't bother responding.
