Although classified ad services can be quite effective, it is an unfortunate reality of our times that one must remain vigilant against predators. Although gothics tend to be "decent people" there will always be a bad apple in the bunch, and more importantly, just because someone says he or she is Gothic does not guarantee he or she really is!

So have fun and meet new people, buy and sell cool things! But also keep in mind a few safety tips to help maintain some peace of mind.

• Never give out your phone number or address to a stranger.

• Use a free, non-traceable e-mail service like MyGothic.com, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.

• Always meet in a public place, with a friend if possible, especially when meeting for the first time.

• Don't assume the person on the other end is being 100% truthful.

• Play it safe and take things slowly. Don't rush into sending money or be pressured into something you are not sure about.

• When you start to feel uncomfortable, it is time quit!

• Never send cash through the mail!

• Use a service like paypal to send/receive money