Craigslist is a popular classified ad site that needs no introduction. However, the site has grown so popular that we are now seeing an increase in number of scams on the site which makes it hard to trust an ad listing. So how would you know that you’ll be offered the same product that’s been displayed in the image? Well, there’s no definitive way to tell this, but there are some steps you can take to identify Craigslist scams to some extent.
As pointed out by CNET, you can always do reverse image search to combat scams. Let’s take a detailed look at how it works.
For those who don’t know, reverse image search will find similar images to the selected image on the Internet. For example, if you’re thinking of buying an antique, then you can do a reverse image search. If the image is unique and can’t be found anywhere else, then it probably means that the listing is indeed legitimate, but if you can find the same image on dozens of other sites, then the listing might be a scam. Stay away from such listings.
How to do reverse image search for Craigslist ads
If you’re using a Chrome browser, then all you need to do is to simply right-click on the image in the ad and then click on “Search Google for this image.” You’ll then be taken to Google image search results page where you’ll be able to find similar images (if any). If the image is found on several other sites, then you should probably stay away from that ad.
If you’re not using Chrome, then you’ll have to work just a bit harder. Head over to Google Images and click on the camera icon from the search bar. This will open a window where you’ll need to paste the URL of the image from Craigslist. Paste the URL and then click on the “Search by image” button. You can also upload an image manually from your computer.
So go ahead, take advantage of this easy method to find out which Craigslist ads are likely legit and which ones may be a scam.
