Craigslist Battle Ground Washington (2024)

FAQs

Is it safe to reply to Craigslist emails? ›

Unfortunately, no such protection exists for those replying to posts. When you reply directly from Craigslist, your email address will be visible to the recipient. To reply anonymously, you need to create a free Web-based email address, which does not contain identifiable information.

This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 22 June 2024. Craigslist (stylized as craigslist) is a privately held American company operating a classified advertisem*nts website with sections devoted to jobs, housing, for sale, items wanted, services, community service, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums.

Click "Reply."

A window with response options will appear. To use your default mail program, click the blue response link at the top. If you use one of the listed webmail services, click the corresponding icon.

Always use a proxy email address or phone number

Once a potential buyer is truly interested, however, it's okay to switch communication to your cell phone; most buyers appreciate being able to text. If you're the one browsing, send questions to sellers through an email address you solely use for Craigslist.

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. There is no such thing as a Craigslist voicemail service. If a contact asks you to access or check your “Craigslist voicemails,” you're dealing with a scammer.

Craigslist uses email obfuscation to protect your actual email address from exposure. When you click on the response button in the Craigslist ad, the site generates for you a Craigslist email address. When the other user responds to your message using this address, you receive the message into your real email address.

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.

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.

Do People Still Use Craigslist? Absolutely. You can search your local area on Craigslist and find used furniture, cars, rentals, and even jobs. However, because so many Craigslist alternatives exist, it is no longer a one-stop shopping powerhouse when it debuted in 1995.

If you chose to reply using your default email client or webmail service, Craigslist will automatically paste the reply-to address into the “To” field. If you chose to copy and paste the reply-to address into an alternate email program, open your email client and copy/paste the reply-to address into the “To” field.

Does Craigslist show my email address? ›

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.

Craigslist verification code scams

Don't give out any codes sent to your phone, especially if it says it's for verifying your identity. The code is for a Google Voice account the scammer set up using your number. Once the scammer has the code, they can use your number to scam other people.

You can reply to any post on Craigslist — just click the "reply" button at the top left of a post, and complete the Captcha puzzle if you're asked to. Some Craigslist listings will offer a phone contact to call or text, though most listings will only offer an email contact.

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.

Yes, you can get hacked by replying to an email, especially a phishing email. In most cases, it's not the response that causes the breach but the subsequent actions that follow.

Craigslist automatically hides your email address from listings with an email relay system. But once you start communicating to messages in your Craigslist inbox, it will use the name in your own email address. As well, it's not difficult for a scammer to get your email address using a Craigslist email address decoder.

Your email is anonymized as a seller responding to a Craigslist email, but the name field is not. PLEASE NOTE: The “real name” field (e.g. Jane Doe) in your email program is passed through to the recipient. Any contact information in the body of your message will pass through unaltered.

If you're the victim of a scam, make sure to: Flag the listing on Craigslist by clicking the red flag icon so that you can warn others. Also send a detailed report to Craigslist. Report the scam to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov/Home/FileComplaint.