When someone becomes a victim of a Craigslist scam, whether it's through purchasing a product, falling for a fake job opportunity of hiring what appears to be a professional service provider, they are hit hard and the experience is not soon forgotten.

The staff of Craigslist doesn't try to cover up this problem and posts multiple warnings and tips about ways to determine if an ad or an offer on Craigslist is in fact a scam. One of the cardinal rules of Craigslist is to do business face to face. If a service provider or seller on Craigslist responds to your query regarding their service or product and claims to be out of town, makes his offer sound irresistible, and then asks you to wire money, these are huge red flags and instant give-aways that you're dealing with a hack.

Regardless of whether you use Craigslist as a buyer or a seller, the possibility exists for you to become the victim of "phishing". Phishing is when someone contacts you disguised as a legitimate representative of Craigslist and asks you for your personal information. Phishing also includes asking you to click on a link to an external website that then downloads malware to your computer which can access your sensitive financial data.

Phishing usually occurs via email. So if you have contacted a seller or service provider who then emails you with a link, never click on the link and immediately delete the email. You may even want to take it a step further and report the event to Craigslist.

A reputable company like Gator Clean will never ask you to provide sensitive information over the phone, via email or even through our website. Our representatives and professional service providers are licensed and bonded and provide only the utmost professional service you deserve.

When it comes to allowing anyone into your home to provide a service, be sure you go with a reputable company and a name you can trust. Contact Gator Clean today and avoid those "too good to be true" Craigslist hacks.