Craigslist is a popular online classifieds site that is used by people all over the world. While it can be a great resource for finding products and services, it can also be a hotbed for scams. Recently, we took a look at the Craigslist Portland site to see how scam artists are impacting local residents. We were not surprised to find several cases of money scams in just a short amount of time. If you’re looking to avoid getting scammed, then you need to know what to look for. In this blog post, we will discuss five reported cases from Craigslist Portland that may help you stay safe!
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There appears to be no end in sight to the number of fraudulent postings and scams on Craigslist. To learn how the Pacific Northwest has been affected by fraudsters, we turned our attention to Craigslist Portland. It didn’t take long to find several money cons in the city. We were not surprised to learn that finding them is simple. Here are five reported instances of Craigslist Portland scams that can help you avoid being scammed by a fraudster.
A fraudulent vehicle sale in Beaverton, Oregon
In 2013, a Beaverton, Oregon man went to the cops and reported a vehicle fraud that had robbed him of thousands of dollars. He came across a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta for $5,000 listed on Craigslist. The buyer purchased the car for $3,500 and gave him the title before leaving with it. The seller was supposed to return with the vehicle, but he vanished. The owner of the vehicle was unable to produce a driver’s license or personal identification, and it was discovered that the title was fraudulent after an inspection. The suspect had not yet been caught as of the time this story went live.
Portland rental home scam
In the recent Oregonian article, scammers were found to be utilizing rental home listings in the Portland region. Scammers are copying information from genuine house advertisements and republishing them under phony advertising with a real address attached, however they change the contact information and set up fraudulent payments that are tough to follow. The scammer may also instruct potential renters to create fraudulent applications and send them payments. They claim to be homeowners from the South who conduct home negotiations online in order to decrease their chances of being discovered. Avoid being fooled by these frauds since they copy and paste the real information from prior genuine house rental postings, but if you make the agreement, you’ll lose all of your money.
Best Buy Employee Convicted of a Portland Craigslist Scam
In April 2011, a Portland man was arrested for running a Craigslist scam. In March, Jeremy Shawn Williams advertised an HP laptop for $200. Williams used a phony name and even produced a best buy name tag with the made-up moniker on it, claiming to work for the store. He met the victim of his con at a public place and swapped the legitimate looking sealed laptop box, which was presented as brand new for cash. “Nick” (Williams) vanished with the money after making the agreement, and when the victim opened the box he discovered only a book inside. Williams perpetuated a similar scam and was caught by the authorities. He faced charges like those of forgery, computer crimes involving identity theft as well as possession with intent to deliver hydrocodone medication among other things such heroin or methamphetamine.
West Linn rental scam, Craigslist Portland
This is one of the most audacious Craigslist rental frauds we’ve encountered. In 2012, scammers posted a listing for a home in West Linn on Craigslist Portland. When Sara Zachary discovered a deal for a 3,800 square foot house on 1.25 acres for $1,250 per month, she got in touch with the person who posted it. She was concerned by the response she received from the con artist. She was instructed to look at the property from the outside and even told to disregard a real estate agent sign posted in the yard. The email advised her not to contact them. After receiving the money, the scammer instructed her to respond to a series of sensitive queries in order to go through legal papers and receive the keys. The email was signed with Cindy Nicholson as the homeowner’s name. When Zachary discovered that the ad was a fraud, he called the cops and it was determined that the advertisement was fraudulent. The property was actually for sale by the owner, rather than being offered for rent.
Craigslist Portland hoax scam
Robert Salisbury of Jacksonville, Oregon lost almost everything he owned after a prank/hoax/swindle posted on Craigslist in the Portland, Oregon region. Scammers posted ads informing all readers that the resident was being forced to leave town and that everything in the home was free for the taking on a first-come, first-served basis. This was something that Salisbury was unaware of. He was driving home one day when he saw a huge truck passing by, loaded with goods from his house. He stopped them to find out what was happening, and they showed him the ad before refusing to return his property. When he got home, 30 individuals were rummaging through his belongings and taking things away. He phoned the cops, who drove away the scavengers after he informed them that they were trespassing. However, he had already lost a lot of his belongings.
Craigslist is a wonderful resource for selling your stuff, but it may also be used to get ripped off. To avoid getting taken in by Craigslist Portand, read on for a handy tutorial on how to utilize the service correctly If you’re looking for information online, The website address is portland.craigslist.org. The site currently provides a number of free services.
What can I find on Craigslist Portland
There are several different postings on the classified ads site. They are divided into categories such as apartments and room rentals, pets for adoption, service offerings, personal advertisements, items for sale, employment opportunities, lost and found advertisements.
How to use Craigslist Portland
You don’t even have to sign up or register to see advertising on the site; all you have to do is join up and it’s completely free to contact someone who has put an ad or post one yourself.
Is Craigslist safe to use?
The simple answer is no. Craigslist is flooded with fraudulent advertising, which are frequently mixed in with genuine ads. There are people who track the material but they can’t keep up with everything, and it’s not a site you want to allow your children to visit on their own because there are explicit advertisements on the site. In addition, the BBB keeps track of all companies that are members with them and will let you know if someone makes a fraudulent claim of membership.
Scam warnings on Craigslist Portland
Craigslist has been a popular place to sell things for years, but it’s also considered one of the most risky sites out there. You should contact your local Better Business Bureau before using this website as they list current and previous scams from locals who’ve become victims in fraudulent activity on Craigslist Portland – giving you insights into whether or not an individual business is trustworthy based off past reports!
Buyers Beware
Craigslist has been the target of criminals who use this website to sell or buy items. There have even been some violent crimes associated with it in past years but these are rare exceptions rather than typical behavior on your part when browsing Craigslist ads; you should always be cautious and avoid meeting someone at their home alone if possible (or anywhere where there’s limited public access), since they might try scamming you by renting furniture under false pretenses as well requesting cash deposits instead shipping instructions so that way no one can report them afterwards for fraud!
Craigslist Portland, Product/Service Guarantees
There are no product or service guarantees when it comes to internet advertising. The site is not responsible for any damage incurred as a result of its usage. This is very much a situation where you must exercise sound judgment and avoid taking needless risks.
Craigslist Portland Scams
The most prevalent Craigslist scams in Portland are home rental frauds, scalping scams, and moving company scams. Cons steal images and information about houses that realtors advertise for sale on other sites to create a false home rental ad. They intentionally gather personal information on the rental application for identity theft and then provide a phony reason why they can’t meet with the renter in person. All money transfers for the rent and deposit are done through western union or another wire transfer. All communication ceases once the cash has been delivered. When renters arrive to take up residence in the new property, they find out it isn’t really for rent and that if they were given keys, they wouldn’t work in the locks.
There are also a slew of scalping scams. On the website, event tickets are available at a reduced rate. They appear authentic, but when the victims attempt to gain access to a venue, they are informed that the tickets are invalid. The ticket is either already been used or is a phony.
The home mover scam is the third most frequent fraud perpetrated by con artists. Con men post advertisements offering to transport individuals from one house to another. Once they get access to personal items, they sell some of them on the black market and provide others.
Before entrusting your personal valuables or valuable items to a firm, you should double-check that they are real. When you deal with strangers, be cautious; and when your money and safety are at stake, you can’t be too careful.