How to Fight Spam on Craigslist

Spam is frustrating. It is when someone sends the same message (usually with a virus attached) to a large number of people in hopes of stealing your personal information. Unfortunately, it is something you’ll have to deal with a lot online. Lately, I’ve answered a lot of questions on Yahoo Answers and have left a link back to this site if they want more information. Twice, now my answers have been flagged as spam. It has been really frustrating, I am trying to help people, but because the "make money online" niche is so replete with spam I am being labeled spam. But, I guess it did give me this topic idea so that is not so bad.

There is a lot of spam on Craigslist. The easiest way to avoid it is to set up preventative measures. When you create your post, tell all interested buyers to write a unique word as the subject title like, "Sandwich". Now, all legitimate interest for your item will write "Sandwich" as their title while the spammers will copy and paste whatever you chose as your product title. Simple yet effective!

If spam somehow slips by your innovative filter though, it should still be easy to spot. Spam emails typically read like a Kindergartener wrote them, or are so disgustingly proper that not even Queen Elizabeth herself writes like that anymore. Just use logic, if it sounds like an actual person wrote you a response, then they are probably an authentic, interested buyer.

Even if your potential buyer has passed the Turing test, be careful some people are up to no good. There are some who seek to steal from you and/or infect your computer with viruses. But, no worries these people are also easily thwarted. Simply never click on links or attachments sent to you over Craigslist and never EVER ship an item to someone; all sales need to be cash based and in person! If you do that you’ll be safe from almost every possible scam imaginable.

So, remember: never click on links or attachments, only do business in person, and create a keyword in your post that interested buyers should use to help filter through the spam.

As for me, I’ll keep sharing my information. I know legitimate help comes along once in a blue moon, but today that moon is out. Regardless, of what the haters think, even if my knowledge only helps one other person it will be worth it.