JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A local woman is sharing for the first time a terrifying experience she and her husband had while conducting a Craigslist transaction.
"We did everything we were told to do. Meet in broad daylight, the two of us went together. Everything we were told to do," she said.
The Jacksonville couple was looking for a deal on an iPad for their daughter. They found one on Craigslist and negotiated a price with the seller. The couple met the seller at a local fast-food restaurant. She said there was even a police officer ordering food when they arrived. They felt safe. But then, things turned dangerous.
The woman said the seller held them up while they were still in the car.
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"They put a gun up to my husband's head and told us to give him the money," the woman said.
Looking back the woman says there was a red flag—the seller first asked to meet at his house. The couple declined and the fast food meeting was set up.
Reporter: What would you have done differently?
Woman: "After talking to the cops, my whole thing … for safety we just won’t use it again,” she said.
Action News exclusively told you the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is allowing buyers and sellers to close online deals inside its lobbies. According to Sheriff John Rutherford's personal spokesperson Lauri-Ellen Smith, it will be called "Safer Transaction."
To see a list of all the JSO substations where you can conduct these transactions, click here.
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