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Safety Tips

Your safety is our top priority. Follow these guidelines to protect yourself from scams, fraud, and unsafe situations.

General Safety Rules

✓

DO

  • • Meet in public, well-lit places
  • • Bring a friend or tell someone where you're going
  • • Inspect items in person before paying
  • • Trust your instincts — walk away if something feels off
  • • Use our messaging system for initial contact
  • • Check scam score badges on listings
✗

DON'T

  • • Share personal or financial info upfront
  • • Send money before seeing the item
  • • Meet at private residences (especially for strangers)
  • • Accept cashier checks, money orders, or wire transfers
  • • Click suspicious links in messages
  • • Ignore red flags like urgent pressure or too-good deals

Avoiding Scams

🚩 Red Flags to Watch For

  • Prices way below market value — If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Requests for upfront payment — Legitimate sellers meet in person and accept cash on delivery.
  • Vague or generic descriptions — Scammers often copy-paste listings without details.
  • Urgency tactics — "Must sell today!" or "First person to send money gets it."
  • Out-of-area sellers — Be cautious of sellers who can't meet locally or ask for shipping upfront.
  • Requests to move off-platform — Scammers want you to communicate via personal email or messaging apps to avoid moderation.

⚠️ Common Scam Tactics

  • Overpayment scam: Buyer sends a check for more than asking price, requests you refund the difference. Check bounces days later.
  • Fake payment confirmation: Scammer sends fake email claiming payment was sent via PayPal/Venmo. Always verify in your actual account.
  • Rental scams: "Landlord" asks for deposit before showing property. Property doesn't exist or isn't theirs.
  • Phishing links: Messages with links to fake login pages designed to steal your credentials.

Meeting Safely

Choose Safe Meeting Locations

Many police stations offer designated "safe exchange zones" with video surveillance. Other safe options include:

  • •Police or fire station parking lots
  • •Bank lobbies (during business hours)
  • •Busy coffee shops or retail stores
  • •Well-lit public parking lots (daytime)

Payment Safety

Safest Payment Methods

✓ Cash — Best for in-person transactions. Count it before handing over the item.

✓ Verified digital payments — PayPal Goods & Services, Venmo (with purchase protection), Cash App (with caution). Always verify receipt in your account.

✗ Avoid — Wire transfers, Western Union, MoneyGram, cashier checks, money orders, gift cards, cryptocurrency (for strangers).

Protecting Your Privacy

Use Our Messaging System First

Marty's built-in messaging keeps your email and phone number private until you're ready to share. Scammers often ask to move conversations off-platform to avoid detection — this is a red flag.

What Not to Share Early

  • • Home address (meet in public instead)
  • • Social security number or ID
  • • Bank account or credit card numbers
  • • Passwords or login credentials

Report Suspicious Activity

If you encounter a suspicious listing, receive a scam message, or feel unsafe during a transaction, report it immediately. Click "Flag" on any listing or contact our support team.

Our AI safety system and moderation team work together to remove scams quickly, but we rely on community reports to catch sophisticated fraud. Your vigilance helps keep everyone safe.