Craigslist Safety: Using Craigguard.com

The arrest of Boston student Philip Markoff on charges of killing a masseuse he met through Craigslist.com begs a difficult question: is the online classifieds site safe? The case marks the third killing in recent years allegedly linked to people meeting through Craigslist.

Asking if Craigslist is safe is a bit like asking if the Internet is safe. The company’s chief executive Jim Buckmaster said that the incidence of violent crime on Craigslist is “very low, given that 50 million Americans are using the site every month to meet people face to face.”

Buckmaster said that the Markoff case is a tragic reminder that people need to take extra precautions when meeting up with others they’ve met online, and he posted several tips on the site’s blog.

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