Hello, I'm someone adjusting to life in the U.S. while living in LA's Koreatown.

For those of you living in a big city like LA, you all know about Craigslist (craigslist.org), right?

If there's a Carrot Market in Korea, the original Craigslist exists in the U.S. It's an essential community site for everything from used car sales to house rentals, job postings, and buying and selling unused items. I've also used it to buy and sell items, but the problem with this site is that recently, it has become a hotspot for low-quality scammers.

You might think, "There's no way I would fall for that!" but these scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and in a moment of carelessness, your bank balance can be wiped out.

I'll summarize the top 5 common scams on Craigslist, based on my own experiences and those of people around me, so if you live in the U.S., please be careful!

Top 5 Common Craigslist Scams

1. "I sent the wrong check, please send me the change" (Overpayment Check Scam)
This is a scam I almost fell for. I posted an item for $500, and the scammer quickly said they wanted to buy it. They then sent a check for $1,500 by mail.
Then they said, "I accidentally wrote the wrong amount on the check! Please send me back the remaining $1,000 to my bank account along with the item."* When you deposit the check, it appears to be credited, but a few days later, it's confirmed to be a fake check, and the deposit is canceled. In the end, you lose your real $1,000 and the item as well. Anyone who overpays with a check is 100% a scammer. If someone says they sent more money and wants it back, it's a scam.

2. "If you check the VIN number, I'll buy the car" (Phishing Site Scam)
This is a scam I encountered when I was trying to sell a used car. The scammer expressed interest in the car and immediately demanded, *"I need to check the car's condition, so please go to the link I send you (website) and pull the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) report."* They don't send you a link to a well-known site like Carfax, but to some strange site you've never heard of. That's a scam website designed to steal your card information. They trick you into paying a few dollars for the report, stealing your card information in the process. Always avoid any site that isn't an official report site.

3. "I'm out of state right now..." (Fake Rental Scam)
When I contacted someone about a rental ad, the owner said, *"I'm currently out of state (or overseas) on a business trip, so I can't show you the house in person."* They then provide a link to their fake rental website and ask you to enter your credit information and pay an application fee of $10 to $20. While the fee is a concern, your sensitive personal information, like your Social Security Number (SSN) and credit information, is at risk. Never give money or personal information until you meet the landlord in person.

4. "Zelle/Venmo business account upgrade" scam
The scammer claims they will send money via Zelle or Venmo to buy an item. Shortly after, they send a fake email stating, *"The buyer has sent the money, but your account is a personal account, so the deposit is pending. Please return the additional $200 the buyer sent to upgrade to a business account."* This is a tactic to trick you into sending money based on a fake confirmation email that appears to be from PayPal or Zelle.

5. "Let's do the transaction via shipping" scam
The basic rule of Craigslist is 'meet in person for cash transactions.' However, these scammers say, *"I'm currently out of state, so I'll send a moving company/shipping agent to pick up the item."* They provide a fake transfer receipt claiming they sent the money online. If they insist on not being able to meet in person or request a shipping transaction, it's 99% likely to be a scam.

Craigslist Safety Transaction Rules

Always meet in person (Face to Face)

Always pay in cash, and never click on links (URLs) sent by the other party.

It's really frustrating to try to save money through second-hand transactions while living in the U.S. and end up losing money.

There's no such thing as "too good of a deal just for me" in this world. Everyone, please be cautious of scammers and ensure safe transactions.