Community Guidelines

Posting Rules

• Be real. All posts must be truthful and accurate. Don't misrepresent items, services, or yourself.
• No spam. Don't post duplicate listings, flood categories, or use the platform for mass advertising.
• No illegal items or services. This includes drugs, weapons, stolen goods, counterfeit items, and any services that violate NYC, state, or federal law.
• No scams. Advance-fee schemes, phishing, fake listings, and bait-and-switch tactics result in immediate bans.
• Keep it local. NYC Classifieds is for New York City. Posts must be relevant to the five boroughs.
• One account per person. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent limits or bans is prohibited.
• Price accurately. If you list a price, honor it. Don't use $0 or $1 prices to game search results.
• Use the right category. Post in the category that fits your listing. Miscategorized posts may be removed.

Verification Requirements

• All users must complete geo-verification (selfie + GPS) before posting.
• Verification confirms you are a real person physically located in New York City.
• Your selfie is used for verification only and is not stored long-term.
• Your exact location is never shared — only your borough and neighborhood are visible to others.
• Attempting to spoof or bypass verification results in a permanent ban.

Respectful Communication

• No harassment. Don't threaten, bully, stalk, or intimidate other users.
• No hate speech. Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any protected class is prohibited.
• No personal attacks. Disagree respectfully. Attacking someone personally in Porch discussions or replies is not allowed.
• No doxxing. Never share another person's private information (address, phone number, etc.) without their consent.

Flagging & Moderation

Every post and listing has a flag button. If you see something that violates these guidelines, flag it. Our moderation team reviews flagged content promptly.

• Automated filters catch prohibited content and spam patterns before posts go live.
• Community flags are reviewed by our team, typically within hours.
• Content that violates guidelines is removed. Repeat offenders face account consequences.
• False flagging (repeatedly flagging legitimate posts) may result in warnings.

Account Consequences

Violations are handled based on severity:

• Warning — First-time minor violations receive a warning and the offending content is removed.
• Temporary suspension — Repeated violations or moderate offenses result in a temporary account suspension (7-30 days).
• Permanent ban — Serious violations (scams, harassment, illegal activity, verification fraud) result in an immediate permanent ban.

Safety Tips

• Meet in public, well-lit places for in-person transactions.
• Use secure payment methods (cash, Venmo, Zelle). Never wire money or send gift cards.
• Don't share personal information (home address, financial details) until you're comfortable.
• Trust your instincts. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Check for the verification badge before engaging with a user.
• Keep conversations on-platform so there's a record if something goes wrong.