Even though selling your old smartphone to a local person through classified ads will probably net you the most money, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take safety measures. Here’s one example why: an Illinois couple were beaten and robbed of their phone plus $275 after they arranged a meetup over Craigslist. Two teens have been charged with the crime and are in jail.

Police say that a the prospective buyers beat the female half of the couple with a gun, and robbed them of their money and phone. Here’s where the couple went wrong: they only communicated with the prospective buyer by text message. While few people like holding their mobile phones next to their heads and talking into them these days, when you’re meeting up with a stranger and doing business, taking the extra precaution of talking to someone can help protect you.

As an experienced buyer and seller of phones told local TV station KTVI, “You can hear how they talk and make sure they’re not telling lies or anything like that.” This is the same principle as texting a friend to say you’re sick and can’t make dinner when the real story is that your hot neighbor invited you over for pizza. Or something.

The old hand recommends just bailing on a transaction if something doesn’t feel right. Trust your instincts, and meet in the most busy and public place possible in case things go wrong. One suggestion: meet at or in front of a store for your phone carrier during the store’s hours of operation.

Couple beaten, robbed trying to buy cell phone on Craigslist [KTVI]

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