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Looking to buy or sell something on OfferUp, the mobile-driven Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace rival, but concerned about scammers? Here are some common methods used by tricksters and a blueprint to avoid them.
What’s OfferUp All About?
First, a quick history and guide to the app. It was founded in 2011 by Nick Huzar and Arean Van Veelen — then-new fathers who, the company says, were inspired to start OfferUp when they found themselves with “more stuff than they wanted and less stuff than they needed.” The app allows users to quickly list items by snapping a picture, setting a price and offering a brief description. Potential buyers can scroll through a gallery of photos, negotiate a price and set up an in-person or shipping sale. Sellers can pay to promote their items to appear in the top 50 featured positions within search, browse and category results.
Within these listings lurk some common scams that, armed with the right information, can be circumvented. Let’s get to it.
Fake Accounts
The heart of any scam starts with the scammer. You can avoid bad situations by researching a…
