Protect Yourself From Yardsale Scammers

In today’s economy, it is far practical to sell needless stuff rather than stash them in a corner to gather dust. Especially when you need money right away, it’s one of the best ideas to come up with a significant amount.

A yardsale is one way of getting fast money. Unfortunately, it is the same for scammers.

Yardsale scammers are those that swindle you out of your goods on sale. As cheap as it may sound, but these gougers get lots of cash out of it. The trick is to steal items from you and tout it themselves for higher prices. So if you’re about to conduct a yardsale, take heed of these scamming styles compiled by Christina Heiska of The Yard Sale Queen. Prepare yourself and be vigilant so you don’t get fooled on your own sale day.

One of the most common tactics of thieves is distraction. They will bring a rambunctious child so you’ll be too worried if he breaks fine glass pieces. When you’re too busy milling around, paying close attention to the child, that’s when they will strike. While you’re attention is on to another, they’ll busy themselves shoplifting item per item.

Another way of scam artists is to trick you into giving them money. When checking out for items, they’ll hand you a large bill, usually $100. While you’re digging in to your cash for change, they’ll quickly put the bill back in their pockets and stick out their hands empty. This will get you to thinking they have given you the bill and thus obligated to give them change.

But here’s the trick to counteract this. When the buyers pay, place the bill in plain view so you can clearly see how much it is. Have a fanny pack to secure your money while giving change. Do this and scammers won’t have the chance to say they gave you $20 when in fact they gave $10.

It is also imperative that you get help during your yardsale. Doing everything by yourself would be very difficult and a lot of hard work. As they say, two heads are better than one.

Designate a person to valuable items such as jewelries and place the items in a spacious corner. Cluttered areas tend to cause bedlam and when your expensive items are in this place, it’s easy for scammers to distract you and steal them. Have your people scattered in parts of the sale as well. This will evenly distribute watchful eyes to all of your goods.

With all these tips in mind, it is easy to spot scammers and guard your goods from them. Remember, yardsale’s are supposed to help you earn money. Not give thieves an opportunity to benefit from your stuff.