# Is Nextdoor-dot-com legit **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 26, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553 "2019-05-26T14:27:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/1 "2019-05-26T14:27:05Z")
I received a letter yesterday, signed with a name, comma, a street a couple of blocks over. It’s an invitation to join Nextdoor-dot-com, which is a site where neighbours can share information. Why not give it a look? I typed in triple-w-dot-nextdoor-dot-com/join as instructed. The page came up with a 404 error: ‘Error 404: The page or post you have been looking for does not exist on this website.’ The letter says there are already over 800 posts for our little town, but when I put the town’s name into the search box there are no returns. Clicking on the Home button, there is no place to log in or join. Under Contact, the only way to contact Nextdoor is by calling an 800 number; there’s no email address. If this is some sort of scam, they’re doing it wrong. If it’s not a scam, how can I tell? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/2 "2019-05-26T14:37:07Z")
Why the coy way of typing [Nextdoor](http://nextdoor.com/join)? The url works for me. It’s not a scam. It’s a neighborhood based message board. People talk about noise or crime issues and ask about contractors. Just like when we used to go outside and talk to our neighbors. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/3 "2019-05-26T14:39:56Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Why the coy way of typing [Nextdoor](http://nextdoor.com/join)? Because I didn’t want to hotlink it. If they want people to join, they should have a Join link somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/4 "2019-05-26T14:43:40Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Because I didn’t want to hotlink it. > > If they want people to join, they should have a Join link somewhere. Did you see what I did? It didn’t hotlink. Go to the main page. There’s a big old button for people to join. Or put a www. in front of the link in my first post and join that way. I’m not understanding your issue. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/5 "2019-05-26T14:47:57Z")
I joined the one for my area, but it’s more annoying than anything. But it’s associated with an email that I use for junk, so it’s just an occasional annoyance. And every once in a while, I see a post worth reading. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/6 "2019-05-26T14:49:57Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Did you see what I did? It didn’t hotlink. Go to the main page. There’s a big old button for people to join. Or put a www. in front of the link in my first post and join that way. I’m not understanding your issue. I went to the /join address in the letter. When the 404 error came up, I clicked Home. Home is not the same page as when I type in the main address. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/7 "2019-05-26T14:51:57Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I joined the one for my area, but it’s more annoying than anything. Mrs. L.A. is an RN. She’s became a Certified Foot Care Specialist and is starting her own business. Maybe I can post something on the site to see if she can get more clients. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/8 "2019-05-26T14:52:48Z")
You might want to ask a mod to correct your title, because the title says nexdoor, not nexTdoor. I was all set to say that yes, it’s likely that nexdoor is trying to scam people into thinking they’re nextdoor. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/9 "2019-05-26T14:56:46Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > You might want to ask a mod to correct your title, because the title says nexdoor, not nexTdoor. I was all set to say that yes, it’s likely that nexdoor is trying to scam people into thinking they’re nextdoor. Wilco. ---
**Author:** ![LAZombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b38774/32.png) [@LAZombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LAZombie)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/10 "2019-05-26T15:30:23Z")
Of the social media sites, I think it’s the most useful. People primarily post about lost and found pets which is kind of depressing. There are also a lot of posts on issues that directly affect you like crime and potholes and local events. Now that I think about it, it probably would very useful in some sort of emergency. We get wildfires and earthquakes so having information beyond first responders might be very helpful. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/11 "2019-05-26T15:36:55Z")
I’m pretty sure the explanation is that you typed “[nexdoor.com](http://nexdoor.com)” in your browser just like you did here in the title of this thread. [Nextdoor](http://nextdoor.com/join) — works fine. [nexdoor.com/join](http://nexdoor.com/join) — gives 404, and has a “Home” button I don’t see any [nextdoor.com](http://nextdoor.com) page that has a “Home” button as you describe, but [nexdoor.com](http://nexdoor.com) does. I don’t see a “Contact” link on the [nextdoor.com](http://nextdoor.com) page, but [nexdoor.com](http://nexdoor.com) has one, and just has an 800 number as you describe. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/12 "2019-05-26T15:42:38Z")
Isn’t this site famously full of posts from people like, “I saw a _black_ person in the neighborhood. Be warned.”? Edited to add, [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/19/us/website-nextdoor-hears-racial-profiling-complaints.html) is one article with examples of such. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/13 "2019-05-26T15:43:50Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Mrs. L.A. is an RN. She’s became a Certified Foot Care Specialist and is starting her own business. Maybe I can post something on the site to see if she can get more clients. I have seen posts here advertising services, so you wouldn’t be out of line with such a post. I’ve also seen requests for people to clear snow, or for landscapers, or for electricians - that kind of stuff you might ask your neighbors, which, in a way, is what you’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/14 "2019-05-26T15:46:54Z")
It depends on how active your neighborhood is. I find it pretty useful, even without checking it very often. I set it up so threads with a lot of activity send me alerts. It’s not really great for back and forth discussion, but you can find out what’s happening locally. All the usernames are supposed to be verified people, so it is not anonymous. They do have rules for advertising so before you do that you should check those out. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/15 "2019-05-26T16:31:16Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@zweisamkeit](#): > > You might want to ask a mod to correct your title, because the title says nexdoor, not nexTdoor. I was all set to say that yes, it’s likely that nexdoor is trying to scam people into thinking they’re nextdoor. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Wilco. Fixed. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/16 "2019-05-26T16:43:44Z")
FYI being invited by postcard to join [nextdoor.com](http://nextdoor.com) is legit. They want people to invite their neighbors but most of us don’t have our neighbors’ email addresses, so they give you an option to click on a neighbor’s house on a map and send them a physical invite postcard. The site itself is legit and you will be able to advertise your wife’s business there. You could also participate in the neighborhood discussion! ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/17 "2019-05-26T16:46:45Z")
I joined my local network and am glad I did. Sure, there are the usual dumb asses who can’t ever check their politics or grievances at the door, but in general it has been a wonderful resource for me. One thing I like about it is, I don’t ever have to put a neighbor on the spot. I know quite a few of my neighbors even without Nextdoor, but when you go by and ask for help face-to-face, they feel obliged to help – even if the job is not one with which they are particularly comfortable or skilled. With Nextdoor, I can put out a request, and the only folks who respond are those who are genuinely willing to help and have the tools/experience to do so. In February, we suffered a bad storm here and a tree fell across my driveway gate. It wasn’t a super large tree, but not small enough for me to saw off with a handsaw. (I am not skilled with a chainsaw.) I asked for help on Nextdoor and had 2 responses within seconds. I’ve gotten good referrals to handy persons and pet sitters. I also appreciate learning about criminal activity in the area. I stay out of the nutty dust-ups (dangers of living near cell phone towers, extreme gun rights advocates, etc.), but I find it useful to know where Teh Crazy lives. Altogether a useful service, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/18 "2019-05-26T16:55:52Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Fixed. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/19 "2019-05-26T16:57:20Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I know quite a few of my neighbors even without Nextdoor… I’m from L.A., so… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553/20 "2019-05-26T17:10:24Z")
Good for lost pets, wondering why that road is closed, giving away geranium cuttings, announcements about the library and the local parade, could somebody mow my lawn? I need a half cord of firewood … I always sign up. It’s basically a local bulletin board. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-nextdoor-dot-com-legit/834553.md?page=2)