A recent video poked fun at people buying and selling things on Craigslist and other classified websites, showing how people fear being ripped off.
It’s a typical scenario — two strangers offer to exchange goods for cash but the seller worries about being jumped and having their item stolen and the buyer worries about purchasing a stolen item or handing over money without getting his goods.
It all ends well when money actually changes hands and the fellows turn out to be stand-up citizens.
It’s hard to believe the success of these online classified sites given the fears but one police force is trying to make a difference.
The Abbotsford Police Department has set up a buy and sell exchange zone in front of the station with 24-hour video monitoring to help people using online markets such as Craigslist, Kijiji and Facebook.
If one of the parties hesitates at being so exposed, maybe they are not a good bet.
It’s an idea whose time has come if we really care about reusing and recycling and ensuring that people are safe when they negotiate online.
