Safety & prohibited items

Tuscaloosa Swap is a bulletin board. We introduce people; we can’t vouch for anyone. A few habits make local swaps much safer.

Meet-in-public safety tips

• Meet in a busy, well-lit public place during the day. Many people choose a store parking lot with cameras.
• Bring a friend if you can, and tell someone where you’re going.
• Inspect the item in person before you pay. Test electronics.
• Pay in person. Cash is simplest. Don’t send money before you have seen the item.
• For large furniture, keep the handoff at the door or curb instead of letting strangers into your home, and don’t share your exact address until you’re comfortable.
• Never share verification codes, passwords, or banking logins.
• Never accept a check for more than the price, or “pay you back the difference” requests. That’s a common scam.
• Be wary of anyone who won’t meet in person, rushes you, or asks you to move the chat to another app.

Prohibited items

These may not be listed. We remove them without notice.

• Firearms, ammunition, and weapons
• Drugs, vapes, tobacco, and drug paraphernalia
• Alcohol
• Live animals
• Stolen, counterfeit, or fake-ID items
• Recalled products, including cribs, car seats, and similar child-safety items
• Adult content or services
• Tickets, event passes, or anything resold in violation of its terms
• Parking on property you do not own or lack written permission to rent, including city streets and yellow curbs
• Anything illegal to sell in Alabama or that you don’t have the right to sell