Safety Tips
🤝 Meeting in person
- Meet in a public place — a coffee shop, parking lot of a store, or your local police station's "safe exchange zone."
- Bring a friend if you can, especially for high-value items.
- Tell someone where you're going and when you expect to be back.
- Meet during daylight hours when possible.
- Trust your instincts — if something feels off, it probably is.
💳 Payments
- Cash is king for local transactions. Inspect items before paying.
- Be wary of buyers who insist on wire transfer, Zelle, Venmo, or gift cards — these are common scam patterns.
- Never accept overpayment and send back the difference. That's a classic scam.
- Hen & Homestead never gets involved in payments. If someone claiming to be us asks for payment, it's a scam.
🔍 Spotting scams
- Prices that seem too good to be true usually are.
- Requests to communicate off the platform via a different app or number.
- Messages with urgency ("I need to sell today"), vague descriptions, or bad grammar.
- Sellers who refuse to meet in person or show the item on video before you travel.
🐾 Pets & animals
- Rehoming fees are allowed to deter resellers — but be cautious of high fees.
- Ask to see the animal in its current home environment before committing.
- Verify that any vaccines, health records, or spay/neuter claims can be documented.
🔒 Account & privacy
- Never share your password or account credentials.
- Use a strong, unique password (our strength meter helps).
- Don't post your phone number or exact address publicly in a listing — use private messaging.
- Report suspicious messages or listings using the report button.
If you feel you've been the victim of a crime, contact your local police. You can also report online scams to the FTC.