Our iPhone app is finally here! The Rapid Ad Uploader let’s Safelist members create new listings in less than one Minute: simply point&shoot, add a price and title and see your listing online in no time.

Features include:

• Rapid uploading of items or services for sale or donation to any participating non-profit organization.
• Dedicate all or parts of the proceeds to go to a non-profit organization.
• Items can be uploaded in under a minute and will appear immediately in the marketplace
• Buyer Protection Guarantee.
• Future updates will bring search, browsing and transacting within the marketplace.

Download now!

Online shopping is highly convenient and flooded with great deals on luxury products. Shoppers can browse locally, purchase quickly and have it shipped directly to their doorstep.

Unfortunately, many are not aware of the dangers associated with online classifieds. Sites such as Craigslist and eBay are hotspots for counterfeit items and online fraud. The total domestic value of phony merchandise seized in 2011 was $78.3 million, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Online classifieds are filled with counterfeit goods and nock-off products, from designer handbags to computers. Buyers should be cautious when purchasing anything on the Internet, especially at popular sites. EBay and Craigslist both offer “buyer beware” advice and security resources on avoiding scams.

On Tuesday, Atlanta police arrested a 22-year-old man believed to be responsible for selling more than 100 stolen cars on Craigslist, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The man posted photos from auto dealer websites and details of vehicles, including VIN numbers and history, then stole similar cars to sell. According to the article, the suspect was caught when a buyer attempted to register a purchased vehicle and discovered it was stolen. Such scams are happening daily, although many smaller crimes are unreported.

Shoppers can take several cautionary steps to ensure the purchases they are making are scam free. Wired Safety, an Internet safety and help group, offers the following tips when shopping on sites such as Craigslist:

1. Conduct some comparison-shopping on the site, then research the company, website, person, address, email, contact information and product. In just a few minutes, you may discover the seller has already committed several crimes.

2. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Take time to digest the listing. If the seller is frantic to close the deal, then the product is probably stolen.

3. Exchange the goods and money in public. Meeting the seller at a highly trafficked location, such as the grocery store parking lot, ensures your safety and the ability to avoid a scam. Also bringing a friend or relative makes the transaction even safer.

4. Create a paper trail. Print all transactions, the ad, email chains, pictures, directions, names and addresses. Also notify a friend or relative on your actions, and where you are meeting the seller.

5. Ask the seller questions regarding return, authenticity and product history. If the seller seems defensive, then it’s probably best to avoid the deal. For more information on counterfeit items being sold as authentic, visit eBay’s review posting.

Safelist is aware of scams and counterfeit goods that plague online classifieds. That is why Safelist is committed to providing a safer alternative that minimizes the chance of counterfeit goods being sold.

Safelist has created a community that verifies all sellers to ensure all transactions are secure and safe. Should any crime be committed through a Safelist listing, we’ll have the offender’s personal information and ability to hold the criminal accountable for fraudulent actions.

Safelist’s identity verification deters criminal activity and enhances a secure place to shop online classifieds. View Safelist listings in your community today and enjoy the ability to shop safely.

A typical identity theft today is not due to a stolen wallet or a bank ATM card. Instead, an overwhelming majority of cases related to stolen identities are from transactions on the Internet. From online shopping and trading to social networks and email, your computer serves as the perfect partner in crime for cyber criminals.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), more than nine million Americans fall victims to identity theft each year. The rise of email communication, online shopping and social media surely contributes to the growing number of online identity theft. Such theft occurs when someone uses personally identifying information, such as your name, Social Security number or credit card number without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. Most individuals don’t discover such thefts until reviewing their credit report or credit card statement.

Online identity theft can occur in many places, such as “phishing,” which occurs when someone pretends to be a financial institution or company and sends email messages to obtain personal information. Other thefts can occur during online shopping occasions if a security suite is not installed on your computer.

Today more than ever before, individuals and families must take protective measures online to ensure they don’t fall prey to identity theives. Luckily, there are several steps individuals and families can take to ensure online safety.

Shop safely online. Install  security software on your computer and keep it updated. Such securities include firewall, antivirus and anti-spyware. It’s also important to keep your web browser current.

Verify the website’s reputation before releasing your sensitive information. A closed padlock sign on the web browser’s address bar or a URL address beginning with shttp or https indicates that the site is secure. Never use unsecured wireless networks to make online purchases. Using a safe payment option, such a credit card or PayPal account, allows buyers to seek credit from the issuer if the product isn’t delivered or damaged.

Be aware of “phishy” emails. Cyber criminals often use emails to collect personal information or trick individuals into downloading malicious software through email attachments or requests.

Never reveal personal or financial information in an email or respond to such enquiries. Contact a company directly if you are unsure if the email request is legitimate.

Secure your social spaces. Learn and use social media network privacy settings, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Such settings control who sees what you post. Keeping personal information, such as your street address, private and using long, complex passwords ensures online safety.

Turning off your computer when not in use protects from online identity theft. Leaving the computer on continuously allows scammers constant access to install malware and commit cyber crimes. For more detailed online safety tips visit StaySafeOnline.org, a national cyber security alliance.

At SafeList.com, online safety is the No. 1 priority. Real people in real communities can build relationships and trade safely through a trusted online marketplace. Although buyers and sellers are anonymous to each other, all are verified and each transaction is linked directly to each individual. It’s the kind of built-in accountability that makes SafeList unique to securing online safety.

Safelist’s family-to-family trading is secure, and all transactions can include receipts for tax deductions. SafeList offers a very simple solution that verifies the identities of all participants. With the Verified Anonymity concept, all members can stay anonymous, but have still been identified. It’s a turnkey solution for online safety that discourages online thieves access. Browse SafeList’s “safe” listings in your area today.

To play at recess, kids need enticing play equipment. The better the equipment, the more physical activity. The more energy-burned, the happier kids are to learn.

The condition of school playground equipment is a high priority for parents, but may rank lower for many California public schools that have bigger issues to tackle, like budget or updating technology. Regardless the reason, public schools in California should make playground improvements and assessments a priority.

According to PTOToday.com, playgrounds are an ever-changing environment with constant wear and tear from regular use by dozens of kids combined with weather-related impacts. Most schools most likely invested thousands to construct such structures, but are they properly inspecting and maintaining them today?

Consistent upgrades or maintenance to school playground equipment is not only vital for keeping kids safe, but also important for enhancing social, motor and cognitive skills. Today’s equipments are eco-friendly, quality-improved and long lasting to meet modern expectations. Schools should maintain or upgrade equipment to improve overall health and safety, boost learning abilities and create a top-notch safe environment for kids.

PTOToday.com recommends some basic tools to ensure playground equipment is properly inspected and maintained:

Examine the surface. Regular inspection of the surface underneath structures ensures areas are free of debris and loose fill underneath highly used spots, such as swings and slide ends. Fill should be at least 12 inches deep for equipment and up to eight feet high, according to the National Program for Playground Safety.

Inspect the equipment. Consistent checks for cracks, breakage, loose fittings, rust or rotting wood should be conducted of the structures. Equipment must be firmly anchored to the ground. Bolts and nails should be tight and S-hooks, commonly used to fasten swings, should be closed.

Preform general maintenance. Use mild detergents, such as soap and water, to clean playground equipment. Bleach corrodes rubber and glue, which could speed up equipment deterioration. To prevent rust corrosion, metal equipment should be repainted as needed. Also keep in mind that any structures installed before 1978 may have lead paint and may need repainting to conform to current health standards.

The National Consumer Product Safety Commission offers a checklist from its Handbook for Public Safety at www.cpsc.gov.  The National Program for Playground Safety also offers checklists and a variety of online training programs for people to learn to create safe outdoor play and learning environments.

Purchasing, replacing or maintaining existing structures is usually costly for schools. Parent organizations, schools or other community members will need to organize a committee to create a fundraising plan to cover high expenses associated with playground equipment.

PTOToday.com provides tips on raising funds for playgrounds and how to build a playground yourself. One Washington PTA was able to raise $40,000 in one year to update its school playground.

Playground fundraising needs can also be met through Safelist, which offers fundraising solutions for districts that need it. Safelist works directly with real-world communities to build trusted marketplaces online. Although users are anonymous to one another, all users are verified and transactions linked to users. It’s the kind of built-in accountability and specific geographic focus that makes Safelist unique to support school district fundraisers.

With Safelist, parents can post items or services with proceeds to be donated to the school of their choice. Safelist’s family-to-family trading is secure and all transactions can include receipts for tax deduction.

It’s a turnkey fundraising solution for school districts, PTOs and PTAs. The fundraising platform allows parents to get involved and donate without affecting existing fundraisers. Contact Safelist now to get your school involved.

Safelist gets a great reception wherever we present it: people are really excited about the next generation of online classifieds. We’ve had online safety and children’s advocacy groups approach us and we’ve built some lasting partnerships. We are starting to realize how much our platform can offer, not just in traditional business value, but to the communities we serve.

Safelist is in a unique position: we work directly with existing, real-world communities to build trusted marketplaces online. Although our users are anonymous to one another, all of our users are verified and all transactions are linked to a real person. This kind of built-in accountability and narrow geographic focus makes the Safelist platform uniquely suited to support community fundraisers.

We are building a powerful set of features into the new Safelist, which we will launch in the first week of March, that will make it easy for Safelist members to post items and services and donate some or all of the proceeds to the school of their choice. Families can participate in peer-to-peer trading with their neighbors without fear, and, because they are tied to each transaction, we can offer receipts for tax deduction.

It’s a totally turn-key fundraiser for school PTAs, won’t get in the way of existing fundraisers, and offers a chance for supporters to give effectively without writing another check. As always, Safelist registration is free and easy. Better yet, 100% of the donation goes straight to the school!

We’ ae rolling it out at our first schools in Santa Barbara, California as soon as the new features are ready, and we look forward to getting the rest of California and the nation involved as soon as we can! It’s a great opportunity for us to spread the word about Safelist and help schools.

If you need to raise funds for your school contact us now!

Fall is in the air which means that Halloween is just around the corner! Safelist.com wants to keep you and your loved ones safe with these great Halloween safety tips.
• Check your trick-or- treating route for any registered sex offenders in the area. Go to California’s Megan Law sex offender locater site to check your neighborhood for free. http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/ .This is a great site to periodically check even after Halloween is over. You never know who is lurking out there.
• Install a GPS tracking app onto your child’s cell phone. There are many great free apps that are easy to use. This will give you some peace of mind especially if you have older kids who want to venture out on their own.
• Choose flame retardant costumes that are comfortable to wear. Stay away from masks that can obscure your child’s vision. Apply reflective tape onto costumes and candy bags. Drivers will be better able to spot your little ones in the dark. We also recommend those cute blinking light pins or necklaces. They keep hands free and are very bright for everyone to see.
• If you are in a large group; stay together and have everyone buddy up with a partner. Kids can easily get lost and left behind with so many other children walking around.
• Look both ways before crossing the street. Stay on sidewalks and cross only at designated areas. Try not to Zigzag between homes or cut across lawns.
• Only go to homes that are well lit. Never go inside a home to accept a treat. Beware of dogs and always ask permission before petting an animal.
• Prepare your home for trick-or-treaters by keeping walkways clear. Keep your porch light on and home well lit. Use artificial lights to light Jack-o-lanterns. Keep your pets secure and restrained.
• Inspect your child’s bag for any candy that appears to have been tampered with. When in doubt; toss it out. Don’t let your child eat any homemade treats unless you know the person who gave them to you. Also, make sure your kids aren’t trick or treating on an empty stomach. They will get hungry and want to snack on the candy before you’ve had a chance to inspect it.
Safelist.com wishes you and your family a very safe and happy Halloween!

Imagine that you are looking for a place to rent in a new city. Since you aren’t familiar with the area, you use Craigslist to find the perfect place with an affordable rent.  Unable to reach the landlord in person, you wire your deposit and first month’s rent in exchange for the keys to the residence.

Then you discover the crushing truth. The keys don’t work. In fact, the property is not even available. You’ve been scammed out of your money.

Unfortunately, this scheme is becoming common place on Craigslist and other classifieds sites. A Texas woman lost her $900 deposit on a house when her scammer gave her fake keys to a house he didn’t own. A Kansas family almost lost out on $1400, but avoided their loss with further investigation. What they found was that the house they were looking to rent, was not owned by the woman in Africa with whom they had been corresponding via email.

This type of scam starts with the criminal lifting the address and photos of a property that is for sale, and posting it as a vacant rental online. The scammer then lures an interested party in, weaving a believable story about why they are not in town to meet and show the property in person. Then, after the innocent renter wires money to the person, the renter either receives fake keys or no keys at all, and the scammer has disappeared with their money into Internet oblivion.

Here at Safelist, we are aware of the scams that plague Internet users and we are committed to providing a safer alternative to help minimize the chances that this could happen to you.

We realize that the anonymity of online classifieds allows criminals greater ability to disappear once they commit fraud. Therefore, we have created a community of only verified users.  Each Safelist member must verify their identity, ensuring that the person with whom you are transacting, is who they say they are. Therefore, should any crime be committed while using Safelist, we will have that offender’s personal information, thus making the criminals accountable for their actions.

Our hope is that identity verification alone will deter criminal activity; however, should a crime be committed, Safelist will be ready to assist in the apprehension of the perpetrators involved.

We invite you to join our safer community, where our members can engage in online commerce free from worry and suspicion.

These days, travelers have more options than ever when booking vacations. Websites ranging from Craigslist to Couch Surfing provide users the ability to swap houses or even crash on a stranger’s futon. Among these emerging services is Airbnb, an online network that connects renters with people looking for a place to stay short-term.

Earlier this month, a shocking story made headlines about an innocent San Francisco resident who opened her home to a renter via Airbnb, only to find it completely ransacked upon her return. The user, whose name is only published as “E.J.,” recounted the story in a June 29 blog post. Not only were her valuables stolen and her possessions destroyed, but her passport and social security card appeared to have been photocopied, exposing her to possible identity theft.

After E.J.’s story went viral last week, another man revealed to TechCrunch that his own Oakland home was vandalized and covered in meth paraphernalia upon his return.

These incidents help bring to light the importance that we all must place on preserving our security when transacting online. The choice you make when deciding whether to trust someone should be based on both the information the web service provides and what you are able to gather yourself.

Airbnb does not verify the identity of its users, though E.J. argued in a recent blog update that the company leads customers into a false sense of security by “disallowing the exchange of personal contact information until… a reservation is already confirmed and paid for.”

E.J. contends that Craigslist is, in effect, safer. However, we all know that using Craigslist can be dangerous. We have all seen in the news how serious crimes, including theft and murder, have stemmed from Craigslist encounters. The unfortunate reality is that we should always be careful before opening our lives and homes to strangers we meet online.

One of the biggest problems with the online marketplace today is the ability for users to hide behind their anonymity. Randi Zuckerberg, the former marketing director for Facebook, spoke on this topic in a recent panel discussion on social media hosted by Marie Claire magazine.

“I think anonymity on the Internet has to go away,” said Zuckerberg. And we couldn’t agree more. While private data should never be made public to just anyone, it is important that people be held responsible for their actions on the Internet, especially when they break the law or harm others. Internet users should not be able to hide behind any identity other than their own, and everyone’s online identity must be verified to help protect all web denizens.

At Safelist, we recognize that it is important for you to feel safe and know that you are transacting with a legitimate person, therefore, we verify the identity of every Safelist user. Additionally, we also allow our users the option to pass a criminal background check to afford them even greater respect and legitimacy within our community. Our goal is to provide a safer alternative to the anonymous marketplaces found online.

In order to protect our physical and financial safety it is imperative that we always remain vigilant when using online services. Never rely on short cuts!

Please join in the conversation with your comments.

Three San Diego residents were robbed this past Monday night in separate encounters planned by the suspects through Craigslist. In all three instances, the victims were robbed at gunpoint while trying to sell an iPod or iPad.  News outlets are reporting that the police believe the incidents to be related.

These latest episodes come just 3 months after San Diego resident Garret Berki, a recent high school graduate, was shot and killed during a botched Craigslist transaction.

The frequency of incidents in which innocent people using Craigslist end up becoming victims of unscrupulous criminals, is very disturbing. The only reason criminals like using Craigslist is because the website allows them to remain totally anonymous, thus making it easy for them to lure their victims.

Fortunately, there is a solution.

Since criminals prefer operating under the cloak of anonymity, Safelist offers a very simple and elegant solution that makes their platform very unfriendly for crooks and felons: We verify the identity of every user. With our Verified Anonymity concept, users have the ability to stay anonymous, while still being verified. Safelist also promotes an open door policy with law enforcement to further discourage criminals from playing their trade on our site.

Additionally, unlike our competitors’ Russian Roulette system, Safelist users enter into a transaction with their eyes wide open. With our reputation management system, users are afforded the ability to see each others’ transaction scores (SafePoints) before they transact.

At SafeBlog, we are committed to providing you, our readers, with tips and suggestions to help keep you and your family safe and secure from online crime. We encourage you to share your comments, experiences and ideas with our community.

*News Update*

Last night, a suspect, Keith Randall Smith, was arrested and taken in for questioning. The black handgun described in all three incidents was recovered at Smith’s Mission Valley home as well as two of the stolen iPads.

However, the female that accompanied the robber in all three cases is still missing. She is described to be between ages of 20-25, blonde, thin and about 5’4”. If anyone has any information on this case, they are asked to call the San Diego Police Department at 619-531-2000.

With warm weather in full force, now is the time that many of us are escaping our homes and offices for summer vacations.

No matter how long you’ll be away, chances are you will find it hard to completely disconnect. While “unplugging” is a great tactic for total relaxation, many vacationers can’t help but bring their laptops and other devices along for the ride.

But how safe are the networks that we are connecting to along the way? At home, we know to password-protect our Internet connections and implement other security measures for our home network. However, as travelers, we usually don’t always maintain the same level of vigilance over our network security. Instead, we find it convenient to take advantage of any free public network(s) in whatever airport, hotel, or coffee shop we pass through.

But we all know that even “free” things in life have a cost that we have to pay.

The problem is that public Wi-Fi networks pose many potential security risks to your personal information. When you are using an unsecured network (i.e. no login, no password, and no encryption) anyone can join the network and steal your sensitive, personal information. Even if the network is secured with a password, that is a step that can often easily bypassed by cyber criminals.

While you’re enjoying the summer months on the road, it’s also important to take steps to ensure the safety of your personal information. Before you take those (hopefully short!) breaks to use the Internet, take some time to implement one or more of the following tips:

1. Use your mobile device

Why log into a public network if you don’t have to? If you have a smartphone with a data plan, there are ways to connect to the Internet on your laptop using your phone’s connection. Lifehacker has a great guide for doing so with an iPhone. One of the steps requires you to “jailbreak” your phone, but don’t be alarmed. Jailbreaking was declared legal in the U.S. in July 2010.

2. Use a VPN

Another good route for safer surfing away from home is using a virtual private network, or VPN. These networks allow for authentication (password) and encryption through a remote server. Setting one up on your own can be a pain, but luckily there are free services that take care of it for you.


CyberGhost VPN is a free download that allows you to remain anonymous by concealing your real IP address and location. Furthermore, all of your web activity is then encrypted to protect you from eavesdroppers.

Other similar services include HotSpot Shield and Wall Cooler VPN.

3. Use secure browsing

While this is a good idea to use at home as well, it’s particularly important when you are away from home that you use the HTTPS version of a URL whenever possible.

HTTPS is a protocol that adds additional encryption to safeguard whatever personal information you are entering to access the site.  For example, if you use it on Facebook, the address bar will show you https://www.facebook.com instead of http://www.facebook.com .

Many sites do not default to HTTPS even when they offer it. Luckily, Google Chrome offers an extension that forces any site to use HTTPS if they have it available. For Firefox, HTTPS Everywhere is a good option.

4. Change your passwords

If you must spend your vacation using public networks, change your passwords to the accounts you are accessing at least once. Use a password that you don’t use at home. Make sure to mix numbers and upper case and lower case letters in your password to make it more difficult for a hacker to steal.

Our hope is that our users will remember to safeguard their personal data, especially when away on a vacation. By taking a few preventive steps, you will decrease your chances of becoming a victim of cyber-crime and thus allow yourself to enjoy your well-deserved time off, worry-free.

If you want to share with us other tried and true methods that you use to protect your data online, please do so by posting in the comments section of this post.