It’s very important to take the same precautions online as you would offline. When meeting someone for the first time, it’s best if you:

• Consider having a friend or family member accompany you when someone comes to view an item or complete a transaction
• Always have your cell phone with you when meeting someone
• If you feel uncomfortable meeting someone at your residence, arrange to meet in a very public place, during the day or where there is good overhead lighting, with a lot of foot traffic
• Trust your instincts

Taking these simple precautions helps make second hand shopping online safer for everyone.

For more information about personal safety online, check out these resources:

http://getsafeonline.org
http://wiredsafety.org

Do you have any personal safety tips you’d like to share? Feel free to leave them in the comments below!