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Have you received a suspicious reply to an ad you’ve posted on Kijiji? Or perhaps you’ve received an odd response after replying to an ad? Here are some tips to keep you safe when communicating with users;
When receiving replies regarding your ad, be suspicious of communication that does not make specific reference to what your ad is about, such as:
- “Is there anything to add or does the ad say it all?
- “I’m ready to pick up this item, can you give me your price and is the condition as listed?”
Replies like this are generally sent out en mass by fraudsters hoping to get as many responses as possible. If you do receive any such replies, please contact Kijiji so we can remove their access to our site and keep them from trying this on others.
Remember, emails from the domain @rts.kijiji.ca are safe! Click here for more information about our new Masked Email Addresses.
Typically, fraudsters will attempt to organize a transaction that is not face-to-face. The following are a few examples of the most common replies you might receive:
The best rule of thumb while using Kijiji is to meet up with the person you are communicating with the good old fashioned way: face-to-face!
Trading during COVID-19
In order to help ensure the health and safety of our Kijiji Community, it is important to observe and apply protocols outlined by Health Canada when trading with other users of Kijiji. Your well-being remains our top priority. Please seriously consider whether in-person meetings are necessary.
If the transaction you’re making is necessary, please consider the following options:
- Cashless Payment: Please consider choosing your preferred third party, secure cashless payment method.
- Shipping: If considering sending/receiving the item via Canada Post or other shipping agents, ensure that the agent you’re using is reputable; it’s recommended that if using a shipping agent, that a tracking number is used and additional precautions are taken when sending/receiving items; particularly items of a high value. Increased care should be taken with high value items to ensure both sides are comfortable sending or receiving the item through a postal or shipping service. Please note, Kijiji itself does not offer postal or shipping services; it is organized between buyer and seller (agreement should be mutual, and we recommend confirming all details such as service provider, cost, packaging, pick up location and delivery address). Kijiji will not be held responsible for items not received or for any items that do not meet the buyer’s expectations (including where they are not as described).
- Curbside pickup / Drop-off / Delivery: This can be a great alternative to shipping and allows both buyer and seller to inspect the item and make an exchange, all while observing social-distancing protocols.
Other things to consider:
- Remote Inspections / Video Chat(s) / Virtual Tour(s) (Long Terms Rentals): Remote inspections via your preferred video conferencing call service, enables Community Members to discuss the transaction, while observing social-distancing protocols; Community Members can also send additional images, to show features/condition.
- Online Applications in Long Term Rentals: Online applications for rental agreements enable the landlord and applicant to interact while observing social-distancing protocols. Be careful of applications that request information such as Age, Occupation, Income, Gender and more sensitive information such as bank or SIN card numbers. These can often be attempts to steal information. Please note that Kijiji does not facilitate online applications and we are not involved in any agreements made between the landlord and applicant.
- Clean / Disinfect Items: We recommend cleaning items before and after a transaction as per the Health Canada page on Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention. Please visit Health Canada to learn more about precautions to take at this time.
