Power Sellers Unite

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17235 Location: Texas

This isn’t to pick on craigslist specifically, as this type of thing occurs all over the Net, especially where it’s free to post what other outlets charge for. Craigslist served a crushing blow to inflated classified ad prices in newspapers, and no one but newspapers complained. But besides profiting newspapers, the fees for posting an ad are natural scam deterrents.

That doesn’t mean they’re nonexistent, but it does mean scams are perpetrated less often when there’s a cost of conducting one. And though craigslist lovers across the world would likely protest (for a short time), it may be time for craigslist to enact at least nominal fees for posting certain types of ads, especially employment and real estate ads.

Real estate scams, especially involving rental properties aren’t new, and craigslist warns renters about transactions not made in person. Most of the scams there involve someone posting a real address and pictures, but the property is posted for much lower than the market rate, ensuring lots of inquiries. The “landlord” claims to be out of the country, and if the renter sends a deposit and first month’s rent, then they’ll send a key for move-in. Scammer keeps the money, renter gets bupkis.

But recently a new con has emerged involving real estate, and it’s pure information phishing and/or affiliate gaming. When a prospective renter inquires, the landlord responds promising a walk-through on a nonexistent apartment, delivers an application, and asks for a credit report via a specific link. The link actually has the ad poster’s affiliate code, and they get money every time a person requests their report.

Both real estate scam examples are still fairly avoidable if the rental-seeker is savvy enough about how the system works. But job ads are different from other classified listings in that there’s more often an exchange of information instead of money, and responders are used to sending out resumes into the abyss and never hearing back. If you think of the information included in resumes—name, address, phone numbers, email—they’re phisher-spammer goldmines.

more.. link to news article

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

Craigslist DOES charge for certain types of ads.

diesel_parts · Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 723

That is a terrible idea. LOL There have been con artists since there have been people. Watch it or they will scam you. I look at the internet just like I do any other place that a scam artist can put one on you.

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

eBay charges for listings, yet they have scam artists galore.

Using this logic, perhaps all of the sites with free listings should start charging. Sites such as eCrater, Vendio, Wenzy, etc.

DaLizardsLair · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 4780

Not to mention that I've seen SCAM ads placed here in PSU.

Does that mean that PSU will start charging to post sometime soon?.... :lol: :roll: :lol:

BeatsTheHeckOuttaMe · Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Posts: 33

It doesn't matter if you charge for advertisements or not---be it Craigslist or newspapers. People that scam will always find a way and/or be willing to invest a small fee to make money.

There was a story here in Detroit not too long ago where a guy paid for an ad in the newspaper for a rental home. He had advertised a date for an Open House for anyone interested to view the property.

There were a few people who showed up at the Open House and one woman decided to rent the home. She signed the lease and gave the first and last month's rent plus a deposit.

Three or four days later, the lady attempted to get utilities turned on in her name at this rental property and was told that the house belonged to a real estate company and that she could not get the utilities turned on.

After a police investigation, it was discovered that the scam artist who took out the ad in the newspaper had busted the lock box and held a fake Open House. The lady who rented the home was out the rent and deposit money she paid and the scam artist who pulled this stunt was never seen again.

If they started charging on Craigslist for certain things like real estate, the only thing that will end up happening is they will start charging for everything else, eventually. It won't be a move to deter a scam artist because a scam artist will always find a way.