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.

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.

Around 10:30pm on May 11, 2011 Garrett Berki, an 18-year-old resident of San Diego who graduated from La Jolla High School was shot and killed during a planned Craigslist transaction.

Garrett Berki replied to a Craigslist ad for a $600 MacBook Pro in the San Diego area. When Berki and his girlfriend appeared for the transaction, three 17-year-old boys robbed them of their cell phones and money. The attackers then chased Berki and his girlfriend in a vehicle where Berki was shot in the chest while attempting to drive away. Berki died about an hour later at the hospital.

The accused killers are Rashon Abernathy, Seandell Jones and Shaquille Jordan. Although they are minors, they are being tried as adults and may face 50 years to life in prison if convicted.

Stories like these are occurring more and more frequently. At Safelist.com, we feel, as citizens and parents, it’s our job to create a safer community. Online local classifieds are here to stay, so Safelist.com is taking extra steps to make the online shopping experience safer.

All members who join Safelist.com have their identity verified before they can post or respond to ads. Therefore the risk of someone using a fake email or name is essentially eliminated. To get even greater reliability as a member, upgrading to a Gold membership requires a criminal background check. Although this does not guarantee buyers are free from potential harm, it is an extra step that other classifieds sites like Craigslist do not offer.

No matter how extensive background checks are, classified users still need to use precautions and their own best judgment when completing transactions.

A few tips to stay safe during classified transactions include:

• Meet in a public place such as Starbucks or grocery stores to complete the transaction.
• If you are uncomfortable for any reason, walk away. Just because you set up a place and time to meet doesn’t commit you to purchasing if you don’t feel safe.
• Research. If you are buying something big such as a computer or a car, do your research to ensure the item you’re buying works and is priced fairly.
• Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of scams if a price is set too low.
• Take advantage of Safelist’s advanced features like voice or video chat to talk directly to the buyer/seller before meeting.

Tragedies like the death of Garrett Berki can be prevented by taking security measures into your own hands. At Safelist.com we’re building a safer community to prevent these types of tragedies from occurring.