In a Wired piece on how to optimize your digital life, Craigslist's own Craig Newmark offers the following tips on spotting a scam on the site:

• Try to deal only with locals you can meet in person.
• Insist on cash. Fake checks and money orders are common, and banks will hold you - not the buyer - responsible.
• Never wire money to anyone under any circumstances. Most payments made by wire transfer are fraudulent.
• Craigslist plays no part in transactions. Any reference to craigslist "buyer protection" or "certified seller" is bogus.
• Use common sense. If an inquiry seems suspicious, disregard it.

This is all excellent advice. However, Newmark neglects to mention the most important rule, which is that when the ad promises there will be no ass-fucking involved, well, brother, there will be ass-fucking. And not in a good way.

How To: Optimize Your Digital Life [Wired]

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