Craigslist: Friend or Foe?

As recent headlines suggest, the number of crimes on Craigslist is growing and with instances of kidnapping, rape, murder and robbery, safety experts say it is becoming more and more important to take extra precautions when using the site.

Recently, there appears to be an increase in the crime seen by users in Washington State. Within the last month there have been two serious crimes, one of which ended in death. College students all over the country use Craigslist to buy and sell things such as furniture, appliances and electronics when moving into or out of apartments.

Many students do not think twice about using Craigslist and often go to the houses of those they have met on Craigslist to complete transactions.

Meika Monroe, a senior at Washington State University, said that she uses Craigslist often to find furniture for her apartment.

“I’ve never really thought about the risks involved with using the site,” Monroe said. “But I always call and verify the person to make sure they are reliable.”

Monroe said she knows many people who use the site often who have never run into any kind of danger. Still, with the recent crimes happening in Washington, she said that her outlook has been changed.

“It definitely changes my mind about Craigslist,” Monroe said. “I’ll use e-bay from now on; I would rather be outbid than endanger my life.”

Another senior at WSU, Zach Beehler, has experienced the dangerous side of Craigslist. He had $400 stolen from him when he met up with someone selling a TV on the site.

“We met at a QFC and someone came up to my driver’s side window,” Beehler said. “Ill never forget, he said ‘Don’t say anything’. Another guy walked up with a gun and was tapping the window with it. The first guy then said ‘Give me your money and we’ll be on our way’, so I gave him the money and he left.”

Despite losing the money, Beehler says he still uses Craigslist on a daily basis.

“It hasn’t deterred me from using Craigslist,” Beehler said. “I feel safe using it here because I’m talking to other college students.”

However, Beehler does have some advice for others using the site as his experience was eye opening.

“Be extra careful, just because you think someone’s a solid individual doesn’t mean they are,” said Beehler.

He also advises students to avoid using Craigslist if they can and to buy things from people they know as you can never be sure who you are actually talking to.

College campuses, like WSU, are often smaller and give students the feeling of security. However, this does not mean that students shouldn’t still take extra precautions when using Craigslist. As recent events have shown, taking the chance of using a site like Craigslist could end in much worse than just being scammed.

Craigslist’s website offers a number of tips to help users remain safe which include:
• Insist on a public meeting place like a café
• Do not meet in a secluded place, or invite strangers into your home
• Be especially careful when buying/selling high value items
• Tell a friend or family member where you're going
• Take your cell phone along if you have one
• Consider having a friend accompany you
• Trust your instincts

These tips and more can be found at http://www.craigslist.org/about/safety