When thinking transacting through classified ads platforms, the first thing you must consider is how to safely buy and sell through classified ads websites is for you. It will help you understand the scams of classified ads websites, most prevalent scams on classified ads websites and also introduce you to the top 6 tips on how to stay safe when buying and selling through classified ads websites.
Nowadays, the prevalence of classified ads websites has ravaged the digital marketplace, setting the integration of classified ads websites into marketing activities as the most sought platform for linking buyers and sellers of marketable products and services spanning numerous categories from consumables, clothing, accessories and even real estate properties.
With these classified ads websites, its online users are provided with advantages of convenience, easy affordability, a wide variety of product choice. These unique benefits can seem too enticing and attractive to turn down for buyers and sellers that are actively in search for quality marketplaces options for their products.
No one can turn down an offer of a good bargain, ain’t that right? That is what most online platforms have realised which is why most online platforms nowadays like eBay, Craigslist amongst others provide resources and link options for users that might want to bypass the traditional route of accessing shopping sites directly and instead want to access these sites en route from the ad post itself.
This particularly satisfies the requirements of users who seemingly enjoy ‘shopping outside the box’ with targets set on high traffic websites with lots of updated post listings. Additionally, these sites usually serve as ideal site locations to get cheaper prices for both new and rebranded items for most site users.
In this blog post we would be exploring safety tips when buying and selling using classified ads to help effectively navigate through platform and avoid scams. But what do we mean by classified ads websites scams? That’s what we hope to clarify within the context of this article and how best to spot and avoid them in all our digital transactions
Understanding the possible scams of classified ads websites
Though a vast majority of market transactions conducted via online classified ads websites is rather high, over the years there has been quite a number of uneventful irregularities which also occurred using these sites.
Ranging from scams, thefts, product misrepresentation and other fraudulent, unethical attempts to even high cases of murder cases have been traced to these websites as well.Â
As at 2017, research highlighted that as much as over 100 murder cases have been heavily liked with the use of Craigslist ads to find the victims using rebranded cars and other related posts which is why there is a pressing need for online users to use secure protective measures when utilizing classified ads.
While it is no news that these websites crimes and frauds will surely attract a trail of media attention, creating bad brand publicity no matter how small, these criminal activities will surely affect the direct transactional parties more in the process,i.e the online buyers and sellers leveraging the classified ads website.
So it is highly important that in the bid to improve high-quality user experience, online site navigation requires a good awareness of all potential risks that can be encountered. This is a prerequisite to the successful implementation of top quality safety measures on the said website.
4 most prevalent scams that have been encountered on classified ads websites.
- Fake prices scam
- Overpayment forms of scam
- Fake escrows scams – This is why we advice people to use Travla.xyz, a global classified ads website with legit escrow and verified users.
- The phishing scams
Listed below are the most prevalent scams that have been encountered on classified ads websites. They are red flags and usually depict fraudulent, malicious activity from scammers.
1. The Fake prices scam
This type of scam involves listing products on sites at significantly cheap prices to attract potential buyers. These prices are usually too good to be true, with many scammers using the guise of fake discounts or a promotional incentive to account for the significantly low price. Victims usually make payment to buy or an initial deposit to book the product which is never gotten.
Take note however that this scam usually uses ads that don’t carry well-detailed information or use fake images.
2. Overpayment forms of scam
This scam usually involves a buyer sending a check for a particular product’s purchase, with the check amount significantly exceeding the product’s actual price. As in a normal scenario, the buyer asks for a refund of the excess amount which is usually paid by victim sellers. The fraud is usually discovered after which the check is rendered invalid by the seller’s bank.
3. Fake escrows scams
This type of fraudulent activity is undertaken by sellers that leverage on trust based relationships to handle business transactions. They offer to use fake escrow to handle the transaction to minimise risks of financial exploits and maintain a fair transaction while unknown to the buyers, it was all part of their masterplan. Once trust has been established and payment is made to the said escrow, both the seller and escrow seemingly disappear.
4. The phishing scams
They are more of an attempt really than scams themselves, because it involves the use of malicious ads, ad links, attachment files that are specially designed to steal private information on the target users.
These ads usually go as far as using fake prices for products and other deceptive measures that will attract traffic and attention. This will lure unsuspecting users to such posts, granting them access to sensitive information that scammers can use for other fraudulent and dubious activities like identity theft, fake transactions, cyber bullying etc.
How to safely buy and sell through classified ads websites – Safety tips when buying and selling through classified ads websites.
By understanding most of these common scams on classified ads websites, online users can effectively safeguard themselves when using these platforms. Ranging from 2-factor authentication, ad authentication, use of secure payment methods are imperative safety measures that are now being implemented to curb these scams.
Listed below however are safety tips that buyers and sellers alike can use when using classified ads websites to maximise their transactional processes.
6 Safety tips when buying on Classified Ads Websites
- Always research before any purchase
- Thorough inspection of goods.
- Proper negotiation
- Arrange meetings in public places
- Protect your personal and financial details
- Use trusted payment options
1. Always research before any purchase
Before you just decide to go for a product you are interested in, always take time to familiarise yourself with such a product. You should get adequate information about the basic specifics of the product which might include ingredients, brand name, trademark certification, warranty amongst others that indicate the genuinity of such product.
Surf the internet and browse various websites to compare the prices and check what similar products or brands are offering in terms of price. This will give you a good review of whether the product is being fairly priced. In addition to this,it serves as a way to check and ascertain the product market value. This will ensure that products which are worth the price will be the ones purchased after all.
2. Thorough inspection of goods.
Before you pay for any product, it is advisable to examine the product physically before advancing with payments. You should cross reference with the photos and images that were displayed on the site to ascertain if the delivered product is still up to the same standards you checked.
Asides this ensure the item meets specified requirements you detailed and is in a good working condition before you make any payments.
3. Proper negotiation
Always ensure to bargain a fair price that is beneficial to both parties. It is also important to do this professionally in a courteous manner.
4. Arrange meetings in public places
In cases where you have to meet up with transacting parties either buyers or sellers, always prioritise your safety and meet-up in public spots. Avoid meeting up in secluded, lonely areas and also after daytime hours.
5. Protect your personal and financial details
In all your online dealings, be vigilant and always be at alert. Never easily give up your personal or financial information as there should be a limit to the information you can share with people, taking time to reply only necessary questions or requests.
6. Use trusted payment options
Always opt for your most preferred payment method when possible during online transactions. In most cases it is advisable to pay only in cash as personal details such as card payment info, BVNs cannot be easily tracked that way. Be extremely wary of online sellers that propose strange, unconventional methods of payments. And never should you pay an upfront balance to anyone you cannot verify his or her credibility.
4 Safety tips when selling on Classified Ads Websites
- Provision of quality descriptions and images
- Setting Fair Prices
- Use verified payment methods
- Use verified payment methods
1. Provision of quality descriptions and images
Improve your ads posts and listings with the well detailed descriptions and high-quality images of the products to provide a form of authenticity and guarantee for potential buyers. This will build brand trust and credibility within the market. Use 360- images to provide an all-round description of the product in your posts.
2. Setting Fair Prices
Always conduct market research to check prices of similar products to yours before affixing your price. Always keep in mind the competitive market, as overpricing a particular product can hinder sales while low prices will simply mean your product has a small market value and might even seem suspicious to online buyers.
3. Use verified payment methods
Sellers should always trusted payment options that can be easily verified once payment is made. Always be at alert when buyers offer to use complicated payment options or particularly in cases when they overpay and ask for refunds of the surplus amount. Always cross-reference every cheque with your bank before acknowledging payment to prevent cases of forged cheques or you blatantly just accept cash for all your transactions.
4. Be at alert for scams
As an online seller be very careful and always avoid the following red flags. They are common deceptive measures that most scammers might employ in their ploy.
- Requests for personal or financial information by online buyers
- Buyers that don’t seem to negotiate and offer mouthwatering amounts
- Buyers that insist that you use an intermediary or third party website to ascertain your credibility
- buyers who insist on wire transfers or paychecks
Conclusion
Buying and selling has been highly improved through the use of online classified sites as it can be an efficient method to reach a larger market of potential customers, but it is highly important to watch out for scams that might rip you off your hard earned money and even worse threaten your safety.
With this site however we have been able to discuss tips and strategies that you can take to improve the classified ads system, greatly enhancing your buying and selling processes. From offers that seem too good to be true, funds overpayment to sophisticated phishing attempts are various ways that one could be scammed using classified ads websites. Always note that if a particular offer seems too good to be true, it probably is, hence one should be always careful.
Recommended Articles
Top classified ads platforms in Nigeria – 5 Classified Ads Websites Compared.
How to create classified ads to attract buyers – 5 Easy Steps
How to stop loan apps from hacking your phone – 3 Easy Steps