Before you transact · Updated October 8, 2026
Craigslist payment safety: check the deal before paying
Found a Craigslist deal? Inspect local goods, put the agreement in a Baton, and check the eligible inspection terms before you pay.
Found it on Craigslist? Do not rush the payment.
A good listing can turn into an uncomfortable decision when the seller asks for money before you have seen the item. Start by inspecting local goods in person. If you and the seller choose Batonic for the purchase, put the item, condition, price, and handoff terms in a Baton before paying.
Why sending a deposit is not reassurance
A direct transfer does not reserve a real item or prove the seller owns it. Craigslist’s scam guidance recommends local, face-to-face dealings and warns about advance payments and third-party payment claims. Batonic does not verify a Craigslist seller for you and is not an escrow service. Open Batonic yourself instead of trusting a supposed payment-service link in a message.
Bring the agreement and delivery together
For a used bike, record the make, size, disclosed damage, included accessories, and pickup arrangement. Check the actual bike. With an eligible Batonic purchase, the agreement and inspection process stay attached to your order rather than being scattered across an ad and a transfer receipt.
Check delivery before the seller is paid
Batonic gives eligible purchases up to 48 hours after qualifying delivery to check that you received what was promised. Your order shows the applicable deadline. You pay at checkout; seller payout waits for the inspection process.
Open an eligible dispute during the active inspection window, before accepting delivery or waiving inspection, and Batonic pauses the disputed seller payout while the issue is reviewed. The seller has not received those held proceeds. That is a better place to start resolving a problem than asking someone to send back money they already received.
Batonic reviews the listing, your selected package, delivery records, and your evidence. We reach out to both parties to understand the problem and work toward a solution. Refunds depend on the facts and transaction terms; the hold gives that review time to happen before the affected payout is released.
Ask for a Baton before you pay
Send the seller this message:
Please send me a Baton with exactly what is included, the total price, and delivery terms. I want to check the purchase before seller payout.
- Review the seller's Baton, preview, and selected package.
- Check the total fees and inspection deadline before checkout.
- Inspect delivery promptly. If it does not match the agreement, open a dispute before your window ends.
Selling? Create a Baton and give your buyer a clear reason to feel comfortable paying. You can share a private Baton for a deal that starts elsewhere.
Make the agreement clear. Give yourself time to check it. Ask for a Baton.
Keep the protection attached to the purchase
The inspection window applies to eligible Batonic purchases, under the deadline shown in the order. Batonic cannot recover a payment made elsewhere. Read Why Batonic? and the inspection guide.
Reviewed by Batonic on October 8, 2026.