Meeting safely in person
8 articles
- Meet in a busy public placeMeet where other people already are: a staffed store, a bank lobby, a busy coffee shop, a supermarket parking lot in daylight. Say the name of the place, not a street corner. Why…
- Use a police safe exchange zoneMany police departments in the United States run a monitored exchange bay in their parking lot, free and open to anyone. It is one of the safest places to hand over an item.…
- Bring someone with youTake a second person to the meeting, and separately tell a third person where you are going and when you expect to be back. Those are two different jobs and one person cannot do…
- Inspect the item before any money changes handsHold the item, power it on, and check it against the listing before you hand over anything. Money last, always. The general check Does it match the photos in the listing,…
- Selling from your homeWhen the item genuinely cannot travel, treat your home like a shop counter: do the exchange at the door or on the driveway, and do not take a stranger through the house. Before…
- Vehicle viewings and test drivesBefore anyone drives your car, see their driver's license, photograph it, and confirm they are insured to drive it. If either is missing, there is no test drive. If you are…
- Handling cash safelyCount the cash in the open, in front of the other person, before anything changes hands. Not in the car afterwards, and not at home. Checking notes United States notes carry…
- Meeting alone: extra precautionsIf you cannot take anybody with you, make sure somebody else knows exactly where you are while you are there. Before you leave Share your live location from your phone with one…