What is the safest way to sell my car and not get ripped off by a fake buyer?

I recently went through this.... advertised on three national sites and local Craigslist. From the national sites I got mostly text messages from god knows where with stupid low ball offers. Very sketchy, and always in a hurry. The local Craigslist worked fine. We spoke on the phone, met in person test drove twice and came to a fair deal. Took about 2 months. The usual warnings... deal face to face early, be cautious - check out the buyer if you can. Deal in cash or local check and go to the bank with the buyer if using a check. Deal fairly, let them inspect it locally and have a fall back price, based on your needs. It's not too bad, really. The paperwork is fairly simple, check your state DMV site for guidance And when you sell it, be sure to cancel your insurance immediately. Happy Selling !