You find a nearly new phone, a set of power tools, or a bike listed for half what it should cost. It feels like your lucky day. Sometimes it is. But a price that low is also one of the most common signs that an item was stolen. If it was, you can lose the item and your money, and end up answering questions you never saw coming.
Here are five simple checks to do before you hand over any cash.
1. Ask why it's so cheap
Honest sellers usually have a simple answer: they're moving, they upgraded, they need cash this week. Listen to whether the answer makes sense for the item. A vague answer, or "I just want it gone" on something valuable, deserves a second look.
2. Check the serial number
Every phone has an IMEI, every car has a VIN, and most tools, bikes, game consoles, appliances and firearms carry a serial number. Ask for it before you meet. If the seller won't share it, or the number is scratched off or doesn't match the paperwork, that tells you something. Then run it on SafeOrStolen. Your first two checks are free with a free account.
3. Watch for rushed meetups
Pressure to meet right now, in a dark parking lot, cash only, with no time to look the item over, is a warning sign. Slow it down. Meet somewhere public in daylight (many police departments have safe-exchange spots), and take your time looking.
4. Walk away if the story changes
First it was a gift, then it was from work, then it was a cousin's. The price drops the second you hesitate. When the story keeps shifting, walk away. No deal is worth that risk.
5. Verify first, then pay
The order matters. Once money changes hands, it's hard to get back. Run your check before you pay, and save your result as proof that you did your homework.
What a check can and can't tell you
A clean result means no theft report was found in the sources we searched at that moment. It is not a guarantee, because not every theft gets reported. That's why the other four checks matter too. Put them together and you'll know a lot more about the deal in front of you.
Written by Samuel Pfeiffer, founder of SafeOrStolen.