Millions of violent crimes occur in the U.S. each year: 10,000+ homicides, 600,000+ robberies, 5 million assaults. However, few of these are online classifieds-related. Please take the same common sense precautions online as you would offline

When meeting someone for the first time, please remember to:

• Insist on a public meeting place like a cafe, bank, or shopping center
• Do not meet in a secluded place, or invite strangers into your home
• Be especially careful buying/selling high value items
• Tell a friend or family member where you're going
• Take your cell phone along if you have one
• Consider having a friend accompany you
• Trust your instincts

Taking these simple precautions helps make TelescopeTrader Classifieds safer for everyone.

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

• www.staysafeonline.org
• www.onguardonline.gov
• www.getsafeonline.org
• www.wiredsafety.org

Please review our avoiding scams page as well.