Craig and His List
May 28, 2010 by admncc
I have never used craigslist. Not for any particular reason – I just haven’t. Admittedly, I’ve visited the site twice – both times because friends were showing me ads they had placed. To be honest, I thought the site was confusing.
As I’m sure you’ve heard; craigslist has recently come under fire for everything from not doing enough to police prostitution ads to having people be victimized by would-be buyers.
“Responding to an ad on craigslist for a used car in East Palo Alto got one man shot and robbed. A woman selling a laptop on the classifieds site was held up at gunpoint in Vallejo when she met with a prospective buyer.” Then there was “the arrest of a Boston University medical student, who is charged with killing a woman he met through craigslist and robbing another.” You can read more about those stories here.
The saddest story I’ve heard about involving violence with a craigslist transaction occurred in Washington state. James Sanders and his wife posted an ad to sell a diamond ring. The four potential buyers who showed up at their home are now accused of shooting James as he tried to defend his son and wife – who were being beaten by the four visitors. You can read about his story here. The four suspects have since pleaded not guilty.
I asked NeoConDon, our resident pro-gun expert, if he uses craigslist. He told me that he does, and that he has bought and sold several items on there. But there’s one catch… Don very quickly told me that he has a conceal/carry permit and that he has his weapon on him any time a potential buyer from the Internet visits his home.
According to craigslist’s “safety” web page:
- “Insist on a public meeting place like a café
- Do not meet in a secluded place, or invite strangers into your home
- Be especially careful when buying/selling high value items
- Tell a friend or family member where you’re going
- Take your cell phone along if you have one
- Consider having a friend accompany you
- Trust your instinct”
So the debate becomes: Is craigslist doing enough to protect you or should individual citizens use more caution. Do you or have you used craigslist and what is your opinion?
All Posts / Business / Entertainment / Family/Lifestyle / Law and Order / Safety Boston University / Buying and Selling on the Internet / Classified Ads / Conceal and Carry Permits / craigslist / East Palo Alto / Guns and Weapons / Internet Safety / James Sanders / Online Victims / Prostitution Ads / Robberies / Safety / Vallejo / Washington /
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Craigslist is a great tool. I havenevergone on Craiglist. But i hear it is a great way to meet people. craigslist allows you to keep your identity a secret. My friend told me it is a shady hookup heaven, according to her coworker. This woman goes on there and has intercourse the same night, with eligible men. Craigslisgt also allows one to speak with “That girl you saw from across the room” and shared a lusty moment. It allows no commitment sex. For example,if I saw a woman at Big Bear,Grocery store, and we touched/shared a complexly intimate moment, accidentally. Maybe i felt there was a sexual spark, I could write on Craigslist to that woman at Big Bear, grocery store, on 5-30-2007,with X hair and Y color eyes…I could tell her I wanted to meet up for no commitment sexual romp with her at this time and this place. All while keeping my identity a secret and my family/home life safe. I have heard stories of this being done. I have never personnally done it. Craigslist shows the true power of the internet. That guy Craig is the MAN! Who else has heard stories like this?
We have to be safe and protect ourselves. Craigslist will only cover its own behind.
You can’t legislate morality although I think that Craigslist should do its due diligence to eliminate ads for prostitution as this is illegal in most of the country.
Otherwise, we do have to protect ourselves. I have used the tool and we sold a TV but nobody came to the house unless my husband was home and it was during daylight hours.
Several friends have used it and they met folks at a public place and everything went as expected.
Crazy people and criminals are everywhere. The Internet seems to make it a bit easier to be crazy and commit crimes.
I think, like Facebook, MySpace and so on, Craigslist was a good tool when it first started. Like anything else, however, I suspect it’s gotten too big for it’s britches. I work for law enforcement and personally, I hate the thing. I hear all too often of people being stalked and harassed on Craigslist; of people being sold shoddy merchandise, stolen merchandise, etc; people who advertise “jobs” that turn out to be scams, and so on. I really feel that’s it’s kind of a buyer beware issue…don’t take checks from people you don’t know and never ever have someone come to your home.
I’ve used it for job hunting. That’s pretty much it. I am, however, in the online-dating-scene and have met a lot of crazy people. I am usually good at telling when to back away and when to stop contact with someone.
I feel your pain, Angelica. Online dating often brings out the crazies
I feel bad for the people in those stories. I DTA.
I’ve used Craigslist for posting job ads for my company when we were attending a trade show but never to sell anything. I have however used another website called Kijiji which is like Craigslist. I’ve sold some company things on there as well as 3 of my old cars.
I’d never in my life meet people at my house in order sell anything. I insist that we meet at a public place and I always bring the husband with me. I think you just need to use common sense.
I’m not going to sell a diamond and invite someone into my house…it just SOUNDS dangerous.
“Stupid is, as stupid does”
I pretty much believe you can get screwed using anything. Be smart!
…just to be clear to everyone…you do not need your concealed carry permit when you have your gun in your home…you only need it when you step off of your property. So if you’re selling, you can conceal your gun without a permit. But I usually have my gun with me every where I go.
Yeah, Don, and if you shoot an intruder in your yard, you’re supposed to drag them inside the house, right?
LOL…nope…don’t want to get blood on the carpet. I’d drag them into the garage.
Craig and his list are shady. if you have something to sell, goon ebay. If you want to knock boots and keep your identity a secret, go on craigslist. Online dating is great! Jane and Angelica if you cut off the crazies,what else is left. All people who are online dating have issues/baggage. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be online…dating! The only responsesone gets from others, while online dating, are fake!
…Zig, you met your poor wife online…???
NCD, I did meet my wonderful wife online. You met your wife in a piss smell infected Fraternity house dining hall…you probably took her up to your smoke, sweat and human feces smelling room that same night you met her…to your roach infested bed with damp sheets. So. what is your point? I can speak of all the crazies online, because I have been in that environment, met and taken advantage of many crazies that way and sexually had my way with many crazies. Today, I am better able to speak about the subject of online dating. It is hard, but all worth the effort!
I have used Craigs list several times.
I sold a couch that I got for free, and made a delivery charge, as the gentleman didn’t have a way to get it to his house.
I have made a few purchases off of craigs list as well. It is comparable to the local paper’s want adds. It just allows people to make a larger sweep for merchandise. Ebay is good, but sometimes the “buy it now” option still includes shipping. I go local, pick it up. Always bring a friend, (be it person, or steel)
Yikes, that’s a super sad story. 🙁 I guess that sorta thing can happen anywhere though, with any sort of listing…
Zig, I don’t normally resort to insults. But after reading a few of your recent comments, even I would agree that you’re sad and rude. I’m going to start talking smack about you and your family and see how you like it. Haha!!!
Five years olds are five year olds! 😛
…sorry Zig, wrong as usual. I met my wife in church…I wooed her in the fraternity house with my beautiful music.
NCD
So let me get this straight. Was the beautiful music because she polished your hidden pistol or played with your wonderful organ?? 😉
I honestly don’t have any problems with Craigslist. We have bought and sold several items on it, and really all people have to do is use common sense. If it is a small item, we will meet the person in a public place, usually the parking lot of a shopping center.
Also, we do a lot of corresponding with the person via email or phone before we even meet the people. We have had some people respond to our sale ads, and they give off the impression of being creepy, or not legitimate, and so we don’t do business with them.
But then again, we have never sold jewelry or anything of high value on Craigslist, so maybe that is it. Perhaps things like that attract the crazies.
I would say both TFT…!!! But if you’re anywhere near Downtown Toronto on Thursday, June 17, I have a gig at the Cadillac Lounge. A full hour of Pink Floyd!
dan, FU! I don’t even know you, but i think you are a douche bag1
NCD
Are you a professional musician? Also, if you dont mind, what part of the States are you in?
I’m in Ohio, and I am a professional. I stay home with my 4 boys and play out in the evenings.
Cool, Do you golf? I might pop up to Ohio if you have any good courses out there. Maybe I could pop in on a show of yours with my wife.
Sorry, I’ve never been much of a golfer…but I’ll take you to the shooting range. I also have a friend who has an AK-47 and I can arrange for you to shoot that too.
Scary! I haven’t heard any of this before and didn’t really think about it. I have looked on craigslist and I have heard of people stealing your info if you send a resume for a job. But being Robbed!!! And Murder!!!! AH! That story is so sad about the man in Washington. What a horrible incident.
Rachael