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The old rule --- “Make your deals in public” --- isn’t good enough any more. People have been mugged, robbed, shot, even killed trading stuff for cash in a Walmart parking lot.

There’s a better option. It’s called SafeTrade. Here’s how it works:

1. Agree to meet the buyer or seller of whatever you’re selling (or buying) ONLY at a police station, sheriff’s office or similar law enforcement facility.
   
   
2. Meet only during daylight hours, unless the police department has offered inside facilities 24 hours a day.
   
   
3. Meet inside the police office if possible. Many of them offer those facilities. Some require an appointment; others make their lobby or similar open-to-the-public area available.
   
   
4. If you cannot meet inside the lobby, meet in the parking lot. Typically, they have cameras, and a lot of police officers coming and going. It’s not as safe as indoors, but it’s much safer than the proverbial “meet in a public place.”

And there’s no charge for the service.

See also Where to Trade and How to Trade for important tips on staying safe when buying and selling on Craigslist and other online marketplaces where you meet in person to trade.

By the way, the idea for SafeTrade originally came from a Milwaukee, Wis., police officer, Lisa Saffold. She first suggested it in 2012 in interviews after a series of robberies connected with transactions initiated on Craigslist.

Where to Trade

How to Trade