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If something on Craigslist seems too good to be true, you can report it as a scam.
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  • To report a scam on Craigslist, you’ll need to click the flag icon located above every post.
  • If you’ve received an email from a Craigslist scammer, you can select the “Please flag unwanted messages” option to report them.
  • Craigslist also offers a contact form which you can use to file a more detailed report about any post.
  • Once a Craigslist post has received enough scam reports, it’ll be looked at by staff, or taken down automatically.
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Craigslist is a wizened old sage of a website. While many have moved on to Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist is still a go-to for job searches, apartment hunting, and thrift shopping.

But once in a while, you may come across a fishy listing that’s trying to rip someone off. Craigslist has a few tips for spotting fraudulent posts, like watching out for offers that require payment before you meet up.

Reporting these posts is part of being a good internet neighbor and protecting less tech savvy people that may fall for a trick.

How to report a Craigslist scam

Spotting a scam isn’t always easy. Here’s an example.

Sony’s new PlayStation 5 is in high demand, and releases on November 12. This Craigslist user, unaffiliated with Sony, is offering buyers the opportunity to preorder the console and have it shipped directly to their house. 

This may or may not be legit, but Craigslist's guidelines on avoiding scams advise against purchasing an item you haven't seen, that hasn't been officially released, and will be shipped to you instead of picked up.

1. Once you've found a posting that you suspect to be fraudulent, click the flag icon above the post. 

  • Posts sufficiently flagged by the community are taken off the site. Craigslist staff or the website's automated systems will take down suspicious listings.
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Click the "Flag" option at the top of the screen.
Vivian McCall/Business Insider

2. If you receive an email from a possible Craigslist scammer, scroll to the bottom of the email they sent and click on the link under "Please flag unwanted messages (spam, scam, other)" to report them.

3. If you want to send a more detailed report to Craigslist, use this contact form. Include your name, email address, why you think the post is a scam, and the post's numerical ID.  The numerical ID is located underneath the post itself.

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Every Craigslist post has an ID number.
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