Nextdoor.com is a free community-based social media application for neighbors to share news with each other.
There are currently 1,965 members residing in Curtis Park. Typical posts are often about lost/found pets, crime reports, and neighbors seeking handyman recommendations. One topic about a common scam using Craigslist has drawn many comments on Nextdoor.
Craigslist is an online service frequently used to buy and sell a variety of goods. The scam typically involves higher-priced furniture or large items needing to be moved with a truck. The buyer will respond to the ad and offer a cashier’s check in a higher amount. The item is to be held a short time as they are moving or otherwise not able to get it immediately. The extra amount is an incentive to hold the item and pay for the movers when they pick it up. The check turns out to be fraudulent and the seller held responsible.
Neighbors experienced with Craigslist strongly recommend cash-only sales, or the use of PayPal with protections for buyers and sellers. Others recommend the use of a new “online exchange” area that is well-lit and just outside the Sacramento Police Department’s Joseph E. Rooney Police Facility at 5303 Franklin Blvd. in south Sacramento. A police officer is not available to attend the transaction, but the area is under photo surveillance 24/7.
Craig McCulloch Viewpoint staff writer