Purchasing products online is becoming a daily habit for many people around the world. Craigslist, Offerup, Facebook Marketplace along with other apps have made it easier than ever to shop online. However, keep an eye out for red flags when buying or selling from strangers behind a screen. There have been multiple instances of people getting scammed or robbed because they didn’t check to see whether the person they planned to meet were safe to meet.

Protect yourself from potential scam

Protect yourself and get to know the person you are meeting before any face to face interaction. Find out if that person is really who they say they are by looking up phone numbers and seeing if their profile matches their information. You can look up the individual’s name on social media to see their profile picture and use sites like Whitepages Premium to find the individual’s updated phone numbers, criminal history, and email addresses in one convenient location. You then can match this information with the individual’s profile to know the person you are meeting.

Always do your due diligence and protect yourself from scams that can come from these online community shopping sites.