Two men from the south suburbs were robbed by two men in their 20s after they came to Rogers Park to look at a used car advertised on Craigslist. The men told police they set up a time to meet the seller at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23. The seller, who had an out-of-state area code, told them to come to an alley on the 1300 block of W. Greenleaf. Source...
RELATED: Craigslist Crooks Strike in Rogers Park.
8 comments:
Oh, c'mon, people HAVE to start getting smarter. Meeting someone at 7:30 at night, someone whose area code doesn't match up with the place where he's selling the car, AND they're asked to meet in an alley???
I don't care HOW good the deal was, there had to be a better arrangement this expectant buyer could make, like daytime in a busy residential area. Is there really that much naiveite (sp?) still floating around in this world regarding the big city?
Hmmmm...I wonder what sort of privacy policy Craigslist has as they probably have the IP address of the Crooks original post.
Hmmmm...I wonder what sort of privacy policy Craigslist has as they probably have the IP address of the Crooks original post.
Well, seeing as how their phone had an out of town area code, I'm going to guess they didn't use a local home computer either.
go figure. never trusted craig's list, never will... that also goes for eBay!
go figure. never trusted craig's list, never will... that also goes for eBay!
Ebay's different. At least they have some security measures in place to protect buyers and customers. In the past month, I bought a great Apple iBook and a wireless router, both in great working order and arri ed to my place trouble-free.
Craigslist... any mope with access to a computer can post something there without a second thought. And evidently does. And these stories are just the ones concerning "legitimate" items for sale. Wonder how many guys have been robbed who answered ads and arranged to meet a "hot chick" who is bored with her husband and is looking for a little no-strings fun? That kind of robbery probaby goes unreported.
I've had MOSTLY good luck on Ebay and have scored some very good deals- but you're well advised to avoid the used electronics, and it's NOT the place to buy a used car.
Craig's list is good for cheap stuff, but, again, it's no place to buy a big-ticket item that needs to be checked out.
It seems unwise, not to mention a waste of time and fuel, to go to a strange area to buy or sell something like a car from or as a private party. But if you do, you should take precautions, such as:
1. Get the person's name and address and look them up on Google and the white pages , and other sources to see where they're at and if the name and address match.
2. Go to see the item without bringing any money with you. It's CRAZY to go to a stranger's house in a strange city or neighborhood at that, with a large wad of cash on you.
3. Bring someone with you.
4. Insist upon a PUBLIC PLACE out in the open to view the item. Don't ever enter a stranger's home or garage or basement. You have no idea what awaits you. Same thing for sellers- show the item in a public place, or have a few people over if you have to show it in your home. Do not invite strangers into your private space.
5. If it's something like a car, you want to have it checked out by a mechanic you know or by AAA, before you bite.
6. If you have found a car you want, or have found a buyer for yours, INSIST THAT THE CLOSING TRANSACTION TAKE PLACE AT YOUR BANK OR LAWYER'S OFFICE, or some other trustworthy public place.. You definately want the transaction taking place in a secure, trustworthy environment where documents like titles can be checked and where you are safe with cash. You have witnesses, and physical safety. This can save your life.
7. Do NOT accept a cashier's check unless you can get your banker's verification on the spot. Cashier's checks are a big fraud pit- very easy to counterfeit. Same goes for personal and "certified" checks.
But for no argument should you carry thousands of $$$ to a private meeting place in an alien environment with a stranger you met over the web and conversed with once or twice.
Very, very good advice, North Coast!
And remembere, folks, everyone OUT THERE is not necessarily honest!
A person who wants to sell will not set unreasonable challenges for a seller. If the seller will not back down, then the buyer needs to decide whether the risks outweigh the purchase. Frankly, for big ticket items, the buyer should come without cash and make it known that the itention is to look first and buy later.
That said, I look forward to a District 24 sting, but will not hold my breath.
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