Ryan Barnes Craigslist CEO iPhone Scam

I meant to write about the emails going around promising a free iPhone from Craigslist CEO Ryan Barnes some time ago. I forgot, but was reminded recently that it might still be an issue. If you get an email about a free iPhone from Craigslist, you can assume it is a scam.
One of the key things that should clue you in to this phony iPhone offer is the fact that the real name of the Craigslist CEO is Jim Buckmaster. Another good clue is the offer is too good to be true. There’s no good reason Craigslist needs to give away free iPhones.

Anytime someone offers something for nothing, assume there’s something at stake. In the case of the Ryan Barnes Craigslist scam, offering to click to get your free iPhone likely means infecting your computer and/or compromising your personal information. I don’t know exactly what the downside is, but I do know the offer is fake.