TulipTools Internet Business Owners and Online Sellers Community

Quote:Several of the popular Web site's users have been held up at gunpoint by individuals posing as buyers and sellers, according to a number of police departments.

The robberies, including five in the Bay Area during the past month, highlight a disturbing trend: The targeting of Craigslist users for violent crime. None of the victims has been hurt, but they have lost cash and hundreds of dollars in property.

The cases show the potential dangers of meeting with strangers to make a transaction, whether the parties first connect through the Internet on Craigslist or eBay, or via a newspaper classified advertisement. They also underscore the need for taking precautions, such as meeting in public, to reduce the risk...