I Got Robbed on Craigslist

I never thought it would happen to me. That's what everyone says, right? But there I was, standing in a dimly lit parking lot at 7 PM on a Tuesday, clutching my iPhone 13 Pro and waiting for "Mike" to show up.

The listing seemed legitimate enough. I was upgrading to the iPhone 15 and wanted to sell my old phone quickly. Posted it on Craigslist for $650—fair market value. Within hours, I had three responses. "Mike" seemed the most serious, offering full asking price and wanting to meet that evening.

Red flag #1: He insisted on meeting at a "neutral location" instead of the police station I suggested. "Too much hassle," he said. "How about the Walmart parking lot on 5th Street?"

Red flag #2: He only communicated through the anonymous Craigslist email relay. No phone number, no real name, no way to verify who he was.

Red flag #3: When I got there, the parking lot was nearly empty. The few working streetlights cast long shadows, and I realized how isolated I was.

"Mike" showed up in a beat-up sedan with tinted windows. Two other guys were in the car. My stomach dropped, but I thought maybe they were just friends along for the ride. How naive I was.

The "buyer" got out, looked at the phone for maybe ten seconds, and said, "Yeah, this works." Then he nodded to his friends.

What happened next was a blur. One guy grabbed my wrist, another shoved me against my car. "Give us your wallet too," one of them said. "And your car keys."

I was terrified. These weren't just phone thieves—they were prepared to take everything. I handed over my phone, my wallet with $200 cash and all my cards, and my car keys. They drove off in both cars, leaving me stranded in that parking lot.

The police were sympathetic but not optimistic. "Craigslist robberies are common," the officer told me. "Anonymous platforms make it easy for criminals to find victims. We'll file a report, but without real identities or verification, these cases rarely get solved."

He was right. Three months later, no arrests. My insurance covered the car, but I was out the phone, the cash, and weeks of dealing with canceled credit cards and identity monitoring.

But the worst part wasn't the financial loss—it was the feeling of violation. Someone had used the promise of a simple transaction to put me in danger. The anonymity that Craigslist promotes as a feature had become a weapon against me.

Now I only use platforms that require real identity verification and have built-in safety features. SwapVault's approach of verified users, secure escrow, and community accountability would have prevented this entire nightmare.

I'm sharing this story not for sympathy, but as a warning. The convenience of anonymous platforms isn't worth your safety. There are better ways to buy and sell—ways that don't put you at risk.

Your safety is worth more than a quick sale. Choose platforms that prioritize your security, not just their convenience.