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How can I avoid housing scams on craigslist?

What should I be wary of ? I need a shared room in New York City to attend a graduate program and I've noticed that several of the postings are scams. Thanks in advance.

Public Comments

1. dont use it for house hunting
2. craigslist.com is just that a website, its credibility is somehow high, but not guaranteed. you need to find out a government official website or some big corporation service to carry on.
3. dont be dumb
4. There's no way to tell. Just ask for their phone number. Make sure it is a person who is the same gender as you. If you are female, do not share a room with a male. Talk to them on the phone, ask if you can see their house. If you want to move in, don't give them deposit until MOVE IN DAY.
5. Contact the housing office of your future college. They are sure to have many ways to help.
6. Not all housing on CL is a scam and user above telling you simply not to use it is obviously not helping you. You asked how to avoid it. (some people) Anyway, be wary of one liners that doesn't provide any, no or little information about apartment at all. The more detail the ad gives with photos and telephone # is your best bet. And of course show up and look at the place, interview the person. Just because they are renting out don't assume that they can only ask the questions around here. Ask where they work and go verify that, references etc. And take someone with you when you view the aprt and put everything in writing. Be sure to correspond with tenant as much as possible and exchange photos. When you show up and the person there doesn't look like the person in the photo uh RED FLAG! Cash is better and receipts always!
7. Get the name and number to their landlord. If they won't give it, walk away. If they will then there probably is no problems, but check them out anyway.
8. Do you have any male friends or relatives in NYC who would go with you to look at the apartments? Being in NYC you have to have your guard up, making it a very lonely place. As a single female you don't want to put yourself in a position of vulnerability, like going to an empty apartment alone. Certainly the advice given in one of the other postings to call and make sure that your potential roommate is a female is helpful. Also make sure that it is really a person looking for a roommate and not a fee-charging roommate service that may or may not actually have the listings that attracted you to their ad or postings. Be sure about your comfort level for the address of the apartment that they want to share. If you are still looking in Queens, do you really want to be in a two fare zone (bus and train) on a day like tomorrow when up to 12 inches of snow is predicted? Clearly not, even though two fare zones are cheaper and more plentiful. Watch out for Middle Village, Maspeth, East Elmhurst and other two fare zones even if the neighborhoods themselves may be acceptable otherwise. You will not want to deal with waiting for a bus outside a train station on a windy dark night in November through March. Your school really doesn't have a housing office? Try NYU and Columbia. Just walk in and look at their listings.
9. consult the better business bureau
10. Hmmm....very tricky. Proceed with extreme caution. This is an area where there are both legitimate and scam postings. One thing you can do to protect yourself is to never agree to anything, verbal and/or written, until after you have seen the place. Bring a friend with you. Check all documentation. If this is a sublet, be sure that this individual has the right and authority to do so. Hope this helps.