The short version

1. Meet in a busy public place, in daylight when you can. Not at a home, not in a back lot.
2. Pay in person, with the item in your hands. Cash, or a payment app you open yourself and check yourself.
3. Never send money first: no deposits, no “holding fees”, no gift cards, no wire transfers.
4. Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back. Bring a friend if the item is big or valuable.
5. Trust your gut. If a deal feels off, walk away. A real item will still be there tomorrow.

For buyers

• Look at the item and test it before you pay. Plug in electronics. Check bikes and tools.
• Be wary of prices far below what the item is worth and of sellers who will not meet in person.
• Check whether a child product has been recalled at cpsc.gov before you buy it used.

For sellers

• Do not give out your home address. Bring the item to the meetup if you can.
• Do not ship anything, even if the buyer says they cannot come. Pickup only.
• Use the site’s message form first. Your email is shared only when you reply.
• Mark the item sold as soon as it is gone.

Scams to watch for

• The overpayment check. A buyer sends a check for too much and asks you to send back the difference. The check bounces weeks later and you owe the bank. Do not accept checks from strangers.
• The fake payment email. You get an email that looks like it is from Zelle or Venmo saying money is waiting if you pay a fee or “upgrade”. Payment apps do not do this. Check your own app, never a link in an email.
• The code request. A “buyer” asks you to read back a verification code that was texted to you. It lets them take over your phone number or account. Never share a code.
• The shipping story. The buyer is “out of town” and wants you to ship, or sends a courier. Say no.
• Gift cards. No real buyer or seller needs gift cards.

Lost money to a scam? Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your local police.

Suggested public meetup spots

These are public places that people commonly use. They are suggestions, not recommendations of safety. They are not monitored or endorsed by the police or the property owners, and cameras or staff are not guaranteed. We have not found a Bloomington or Monroe County police-designated exchange zone; if one is opened we will list it with a link to the agency’s own page.

• Monroe County Public Library, 303 E Kirkwood Ave
  Public, staffed, indoors. Check its hours first.
• Outside the Bloomington Police Department, 220 E 3rd St
  Busy and watched. This is not an official exchange zone, so do not block the doors and leave if staff ask you to.
• A busy, well-lit store entrance (we will pick one in messages)
  Choose the entrance, not the back lot. Daylight is best.
• A bank lobby or ATM area during open hours
  Good for cash. Cameras and other people nearby.
• Another public place (we will agree in messages)
  Never a private home for a first meeting.

Last checked 2026-10-29. Hours and rules can change, so check before you go.

What we do, and what we do not

• A person reads every listing before it goes up and declines anything that breaks the rules.
• Readers can report a listing. Three reports from different people take it down until we have looked.
• Listings end after 30 days. Photos have their location data removed.
• We do not check who sellers or buyers are, whether items are genuine, or what condition they are in, and we are not part of any sale.