FAQs
Avoid adding any personal information in the posting, including your name, real phone number or real email address. Always use the generated email address on your Craigslist posts. This creates a random email address, so the poster doesn't have your real email on file.
How do I contact a seller on Craigslist? ›
Contacting Someone on Craigslist
To reply to a Craigslist post, just click the reply button. To use your device's default email app, select the first link. Otherwise, select the web-based email you use (like Gmail or Yahoo) or copy and paste the email address at the bottom of the window into a new email manually.
How do I reply to a Craigslist ad with no contact information? ›
When you reply directly from Craigslist, your email address will be visible to the recipient. To reply anonymously, you need to create a free Web-based email address, which does not contain identifiable information.
How do you know if a Craigslist reply is real? ›
Craigslist Scam Alert: 5 Signs a Con Artist Is Replying to Your...
- They Won't Come See the Item in Person. ...
- The Email Reply Doesn't Refer to the Specific Item You're Selling. ...
- The Buyer 'Accidentally' Overpays. ...
- They Ask for Personal or Financial Information. ...
- The Buyer Refuses to Meet at a Public Place.
Should I give my phone number on Craigslist? ›
Craigslist email relay hides your email address when communicating with buyers or sellers. It's a great security feature that you should take advantage of. That means you shouldn't give your real email address or phone number to someone you're dealing with, especially if they're pressuring you.
How do I respond to people on Craigslist? ›
To contact someone who has posted an ad on Craigslist , you can click on the " Reply " button located at the top left corner of the ad . This will open up a form where you can enter your contact information and send a message directly to the poster .
How does emailing through Craigslist work? ›
craigslist creates a randomized custom email address for each posting. Use your email program as you normally would. Please note: The “real name” field (e.g. Jane Doe) in your email program is visible to the recipient.
Why can't I reply to emails on Craigslist? ›
Make sure the post you are responding to is still active by refreshing the page. If the recipient has opted out of the conversation, you will no longer be able to email that address. Try sending your message again with less content, fewer or no attachments, and reduced file sizes.
Can you find out who posted a Craigslist ad? ›
Being anonymous is important at Craigslist, a website that has devoured much of the classified advertising that once was a staple of newspapers. A seller's identity is allowed to remain confidential until a prospective buyer makes contact; both parties then can reveal their identities.
How to negotiate with a seller on Craigslist? ›
To summarize:
- Avoid Craigslist professionals running arbitrage schemes.
- Call them rather than email them.
- Use the Ackerman bargaining method. If buying, pitch 65%, 85%, 95%, and 100%. If selling, pitch 150%, 120%, 105%, 100%.
- Send messages from multiple accounts to anchor your desired price.
Price It Right
After looking for comparable items on Craigslist and other used marketplaces, you should have a decent idea of a price range. Now, take a hard look at the condition of your item. If it's missing parts, doesn't quite work right, or just has seen better days, err on the low side of the fair price range.
Do Craigslist sellers see my email? ›
To protect buyer and seller privacy, Craigslist keeps email addresses hidden. However, even with this security system, you might want to take additional precautions when responding to emails from Craigslist.
Does Craigslist email show your name? ›
Your email is anonymized as a seller responding to a Craigslist email, but the name field is not. PLEASE NOTE: The “real name” field (e.g. Jane Doe) in your email program is passed through to the recipient. Any contact information in the body of your message will pass through unaltered.
Does Craigslist show my name? ›
On Craigslist, if I reply to a post, would the original poster be able to see my name and/or email address? Whatever name appears on your emails to other people will be what shows in your response to a Craigslist ad. Your email address will not. In that space will be the coded email address supplied by Craigslist.
What can a Craigslist scammer do with my email? ›
What Can Scammers Do With Your Email Address?
- Target you with sophisticated phishing emails.
- Find more sensitive information about you — including where you live.
- Attempt to hack into your social media or other online accounts.
- Impersonate you and scam your friends and family.
How do you know if a buyer is scamming you on Craigslist? ›
Craigslist does not back any transaction on its site. If you receive an email or text trying to sell you purchase protection, you're looking at a scam. There is no such thing as a Craigslist voicemail service. If a contact asks you to access or check your “Craigslist voicemails,” you're dealing with a scammer.
Can Craigslist users see my email? ›
Craigslist provides a "cover" email address that is forwarded to the recipient's actual email address. Only Craigslist knows the real email addresses of both parties. This way, if one of the people involved turns out to be untrustworthy, they don't have the other person's email address.