Rockford Police Share Must-Know Online Marketplace Safety Tips

If you've been busy spring cleaning and have some things set aside to sell on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, there are some important safety tips to remember before you list.

Spring Cleaning and Decluttering

For me, the spring season is often about decluttering and redecorating.

After spending most of the winter months indoors, I get tired of looking at all of my family's stuff. By the time April hits, I'm practically chucking it out our front door.

I usually donate most of our old clothes and décor, but for big-ticket items we no longer use, I task my husband with selling them on Facebook Marketplace. (Or they sit in the corner of our basement waiting for the garage sale I'm never going to have.)

Selling and buying things on sites like Marketplace and Craigslist always makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm cool with porch pickups, but meeting a stranger somewhere for an item exchange is something I am never going to sign up for.

The truth is, online marketplaces are full of great deals, but they can be dangerous too, so safety must ALWAYS come first.

Online Marketplace Safety Tips

In the warmer months ahead, many Illinois residents will be buying and selling items through online marketplaces, so the Rockford Police Department wants us all to remember seven important safety tips:

The moral of the story is this: Selling and buying items through online marketplaces can be a great way to score extra cash or unload things you no longer need, but you need to proceed with caution.

Before agreeing to meet anyone, do your research. Look the person up online, see if they have a history of past transactions, and NEVER forget to tell someone you trust where you're going and who you're meeting before you go!