Marketplace Safety

Updated 11-18-2022

SCAMS. Deal locally, face-to-face —follow this one rule and avoid 99% of scam attempts.

• Do not provide payment to anyone you have not met in person.
• Beware offers involving shipping - deal with locals you can meet in person.
• Never wire funds (e.g. Western Union) - anyone who asks you to is a scammer.
• Don't accept cashier/certified checks or money orders - banks cash fakes, then hold you responsible.
• Transactions are between users only, no third party provides a "guarantee".
• Never give out financial info (bank account, social security, paypal account, etc).
• Do not rent or purchase sight-unseen—that amazing "deal" may not exist.
• Refuse background/credit checks until you have met landlord/employer in person.
• "Car Simulcast voicemails" - Any message asking you to access or check "Car Simulcast voicemails" or "Car Simulcast voice messages" is fraudulent - no such service exists.

PERSONAL SAFETY. The overwhelming majority of Car Simulcast users are trustworthy and well-meaning. Nevertheless, please take the same common sense precautions online as you would offline.

When meeting someone for the first time, please remember to:

• Insist on a public meeting place like a cafe, bank, or shopping center.
• Do not meet in a secluded place, or invite strangers into your home.
• Be especially careful buying/selling high value items.
• Tell a friend or family member where you're going.
• Take your cell phone along if you have one.
• Consider having a friend accompany you.
• Trust your instincts.

Taking these simple precautions helps make Car Simulcast marketplace safer for everyone.

PROHIBITED ITEMS. Users must comply with all applicable laws, the CS terms of use, and all posted site rules.

Here is a partial list of goods, services, and content prohibited on Car Simulcast:

• weapons; firearms/guns and components; BB/pellet, stun, and spear guns; etc
• ammunition, clips, cartridges, reloading materials, gunpowder, fireworks, explosives
• offers, solicitation, or facilitation of illegal prostitution and/or sex trafficking
• exploitation or endangerment of minors; child pornography
• recalled items; hazardous materials; body parts/fluids; unsanitized bedding/clothing
• prescription drugs, medical devices; controlled substances and related items
• alcohol or tobacco; unpackaged or adulterated food or cosmetics
• pet sales (re-homing with small adoption fee ok), animal parts, stud service
• endangered, imperiled and/or protected species and any parts thereof, e.g. ivory
• false, misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent content; bait and switch; keyword spam
• offensive, obscene, defamatory, threatening, or malicious postings or email
• anyone’s personal, identifying, confidential or proprietary information
• food stamps, WIC vouchers, SNAP or WIC goods, governmental assistance
• stolen property, property with serial number removed/altered, burglary tools, etc
• ID cards, licenses, police insignia, government documents, birth certificates, etc
• US military items not demilitarized in accord with Defense Department policy
• counterfeit, replica, or pirated items; tickets or gift cards that restrict transfer
• lottery or raffle tickets, sweepstakes entries, slot machines, gambling items
• spam; miscategorized, overposted, cross-posted, or nonlocal content
• postings or email the primary purpose of which is to drive traffic to a website
• postings or email offering, promoting, or linking to unsolicited products or services
• affiliate marketing; network, or multi-level marketing; pyramid schemes
• any good, service, or content that violates the law or legal rights of others
• Any postings that's not related to cars

Please don't use CS for these purposes, and flag anyone else you see doing so.

FLAGS. Users self-publish tons of free postings each month, subject to the CS terms of use (TOU). CS users flag prohibited postings they find via the flagging link at the top of each posting. Free classified ads sufficiently flagged are subject to automated removal. Postings may also be flagged for removal by CS staff or CS automated systems. Millions of ads are removed by flagging monthly, nearly all of which violate the CS terms of use. Of course no moderation system is perfect, and a small percentage of ads removed are compliant. Flagged postings that comply with the TOU may be reposted, reworded as necessary.