about | help | faq – Craigslist
How do I post a free posting?
How can I edit my posting?
How soon does my posting expire?
How can I delete my posting?
How do I repost my posting?
How often can I post?
How can I post anonymously and still receive responses?
I have not received the email to self-publish my free posting, what should I do?
Can I add a picture to my posting?
Can I use HTML tags or URLs in my posting?
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
What kind of postings are prohibited?
What should I do if someone harasses me by posting a prank posting?
Can I post to all of craigslist’s sites?
What category is appropriate for posting focus group opportunities?
I saw a particular posting 6 months ago and would like to see it again. Can I?
Where can I advertise my services/business on craigslist?
Can I offer a posting service or act as a posting agent on craigslist?
Can I put a link in my for sale posting to an auction site like ebay?
Can I scalp my tickets and popular gift items on craigslist?
You can post a free ad without having an account or logging in to our site. To learn how, please read our help page on how to create a free post. However, having a craigslist account will allow you to post, edit, delete, and repost more easily.
Edits for postings are now self-service.
If you posted while logged in to your account, you can edit from your account homepage.
Otherwise, use the link provided in the same self-posting email you used originally to self-post. If you can’t find this, try having it re-sent.
View the full list of posting lifespans.
If you posted using an account, you can delete your posting from your account homepage.
Otherwise, use the same link provided in the self-posting email that you used to post the ad originally. If you can’t find this, try having it re-sent.
Please note, all postings are automatically deleted upon expiration.
For more information on reposting free ads, see this page.
For information on reposting paid ads, please visit this page.
You may post to one category and in one city, no more than once every 48 hours.
If you try to post something similar to an active post of yours on the site, you may get a blocked message. Removing the similar active post should help, unless it is less than 48 hours old.
When submitting a posting, you are asked to provide your email address.
You have three options:
You can use craigslist 2-way email relay. Responses are relayed to your actual email address.
Your email address can appear in your posting just as you have typed it.
No email address shown at all—you’ll need to provide contact information in the body of your post.
Using craigslist 2-way email relay helps protect both your email address and the email address of anyone who replies to your post. It is generally recommended and is the default option.
craigslist mail relay is always an option, but some of the options listed above may not be available in other categories. For example, if you are posting in the personal categories, option #2 is not available.
If you are using an online email account, please check your bulk/junk/spam mail folder(s).
You may have entered your email address incorrectly—it only takes one typo!
Some email providers and ISPs have implemented “spam filters” some of which are badly designed or misconfigured, resulting in craigslist emails being filtered out or intercepted.
Your email provider may be experiencing delays, or other technical issues.
In some categories, you will be offered the option to “Add Images” during the posting process. You will be prompted to upload images from your computer to craigslist.
Please use HTML sparingly. Users generally prefer ads with little or no added HTML.
Please use only HTML tags appropriate for the
No support is provided for JavaScript, applets, Flash, or other embedded non-HTML content.
For more information see our HTML Guidelines.
If you use HTML in any part of your posting, you must use it throughout.
Please consult the Terms of Use.
Category-specific guidelines posted in specific sections of the site must also be observed.
For your reference, there is also a non-comprehensive list of prohibited items/content.
If you are the target of a prank or other harassment related to a craigslist post, please contact us immediately using the suggestions we outline on our abuse help page.
Please choose just ONE local craigslist site for which your ad is most relevant—generally the site closest to you. If your ad is equally relevant to all locations, your ad does not belong on craigslist. Please find another service. Posting the same ad to multiple locations on craigslist is prohibited.
Focus group opportunities can be posted to the “et cetera” jobs category, or in the “gigs” section.
Generally not. We will however respond to a valid subpoena for that information.
Only in the “services offered” categories please.
Unauthorized posting agents/services are prohibited. Violators agree to pay CL liquidated damages for each posting.
No. Please post a set price, do not solicit bidding, and do not link to auctions elsewhere.
Many users will flag posts scalping tickets or popular gift items for way over face value.
The Good, the Bad, the Ugly of Craigslist – GetKidsInternetSafe
Craigslist is the website where Internet users can buy and sell anything. In just a few clicks of the mouse, one can browse advertisements for housing, items for sale, jobs, information forums, help for services, gigs, community events, and even people. Craigslist can be a highly useful tool, but it also has a dark side. I pulled together accounts from reputable publications to inform GKIS readers about Craigslist benefits and its risks. Then I offered some quick tips for staying safe when using Craigslist.
From Hobby to Fortune
In 1995, Craig Newmark started an email program as a hobby. This program allowed him to easily communicate social events to other San Francisco Internet developers. Word of the program grew quickly, and users began posting emails for other purposes like job searching. Due to popular demand, Craig quickly expanded the features of the program, and in only a year, the website, Craigslist, was created.
The website continued to rapidly expand, and in 1999 Craig’s hobby became a full-time job. In 2010, Craig’s net worth was estimated at a staggering 400 million dollars! His website is now available in over seventy countries and is visited over 20 billion times a month (Terynn, 2013).
So Easy, Your Child Can Do It
Craigslist is famously known as “the public online marketplace. ” The website’s user-friendly system and free cost to advertise, draws in 55 million users every month, in the US alone (Usman, 2014). It’s now commonly used by the average American and is a staple for amateur buying and selling.
To access Craigslist, you do not need a user name, personal information, or a credit card. You are free to browse all the content on the website anonymously. If you see an advertisement you like, simply click on the ad, and you will be taken to a page with more detail of the item and a link to the owner.
Creating an ad on craigslist is also easy. Select a category you wish to make an ad for (items for sale, personals, jobs etc. ). Then add a title for your ad, a description of what you are selling, and any personal information for those to reach you (email, phone number, social media, or a home address). Once you have posted the advertisement it is viewable to everybody on the site.
My Experience with Craigslist
I love using Craigslist. I have bought and sold many items using the site, and each transaction has gone smoothly. I have had many welcoming encounters, and I have even become friends with a few people I have met. The website is intuitive and easy to manage, and the free advertisement it provides is amazing. However, like with so many Internet sites, people have found ways to use Craigslist for unanticipated, illegal purposes.
The Dark Side: Scammers, Stalkers, and Setups
Scammers use Craigslist to steal money from unsuspecting victims by placing fraudulent advertisements with incredible deals. Buyers are asked to send money orders or checks online, and after making payment, never receive their item. Scammers also take advantage of those selling items. They do this by sending bad money orders or checks that bounce (Paul, 2013).
In Ohio a man tried to use Craigslist to sell his car. He was thrilled when a man responded to his advertisement wanting to purchase his vehicle. The man claimed to be from South Carolina but was unable to come and pick up the car in person. He asked if the car could be shipped to him, and he would send a check to cover the cost of shipping and the vehicle. The Ohio man agreed, and his customer sent $5, 450. After receiving the money, he paid for the car to be shipped and told the man from South Carolina it was on its way. The next day he checked his bank account, and the funds he had received were no longer good. He tried to contact the man but was unable to and lost $2500 dollars due to the shipping charges (John, 2016).
Stalkers are also using Craigslist to set-up and harass victims. They do this by posting advertisements that may include the victim’s phone number, address, and even photos. The stalker can even pose as the victim through email and send messages to those who respond to the ad. Victims are then targeted by the harassment of unknown strangers.
A woman from Maryland, was horrified when she founds ads posted on craigslist that read, “Rape me and my daughters. ” The ad included her address and photos of her and her daughters. She contacted police, and police found that her ex-husband was responsible for the ads (Justin, 2013).
A bizarre Craigslist story involved a soon-to-be-married couple and an ex-girlfriend (Kelley, 2017). The soon-to-be wife claimed that the ex-girlfriend created a Craigslist advertisement posing as her. In the ad people were asked to come to her house and forcibly rape her. The soon-to-be wife also called the police, claiming that a man had forcibly entered her garage and attempted to rape her. When police arrived, the woman had red marks around her neck and a ripped shirt. Police never found a suspect. However, investigators examined the Internet history of both women. They discovered that the soon-to-be wife had created the advertisement to frame the ex-girlfriend!
Robbery and Sexual Assault
Robberies and assaults are unfortunately quite common on Craigslist. Criminals know that victims are bringing valuable items to meetings and use this knowledge to plan locations where they can easily rob their targets. They also take advantage of trusting and unaccompanied victims.
In Seattle, a woman used the services section of Craigslist. She posted an advertisement asking for someone to fix her broken microwave. A man responded to her ad. When he arrived at her house, she was home alone. He sexually assaulted her and fled the premises (Levi, 2008).
Another story comes from a man who used the personals section of Craigslist. This is a highly controversial section of Craigslist due to its use for soliciting sexual acts. It is illegal to post advertisements soliciting sex on the website, and many are taken down. However, the use of code words has allowed many ads to go undetected (Ed, 2017). In this story the man arrived at an address he had received from the female he had been talking to online. He entered the house and was assaulted and robbed by two men (Levi, 2008).
Child Trafficking and Slavery
Criminals are using Craigslist to make victims sex slaves. One way they do this is by placing advertisements in the “rooms for rent” category. The ads have incredible deals which lure in unsuspecting victims. A woman from Wisconsin responded to an ad that offered free rent for cooking and cleaning. The apartment was in Brooklyn, and when the woman arrived, the man picked her up at the airport. Once at the apartment, the man handcuffed the woman to his radiator and forced her to be his sex slave. After eight days of enslavement she was released. Authorities were contacted and the man was arrested (Irin, 2011).
Children has also been victimized using Craigslist. A father from Texas was arrested and convicted for committing child prostitution and child trafficking. This creep placed ads on Craigslist offering to “come play with daddy’s little girl”. He also tried selling his daughter for one-thousand-dollars (Jeff, 2015).
How to be Craigslist Safe
If the buyer or seller won’t give you their name or phone number or the offer is too good to be true. Abort mission.
Deal with only local people and vet their authenticity by asking for their name and social media handles. Google them to investigate their digital to the seller on the phone. Ask questions about the item to get a feel for the situation. How long have you had it? Are you the original buyer? Why are you selling it? If their information about the item is sketchy, so are they.
Never give personal information about yourself beyond your name and phone number. If they say they need information for a credit check, make sure the situation is legitimate before you agree to anything.
Only meet during daylight and have a buddy with you whether you’re buying or selling. A public meeting place is best.
Make sure your photos don’t contain meta data, like geotagged location of the photo (where predators can track your advertised merchandise to your home).
Cash only. Do not wire money or accept a check, cashier’s check, or money order. It is a common scam to ask you to cash a check that’s made out for more money than you are asking for.
Trust your gut. If the situation doesn’t feel right, end the transaction.
Thank you to CSUCI Intern, Dylan Smithson for informing parents of the potential dangers on Craigslist. The next time you visit the website, use the Craigslist safe tips. Don’t become a craigslist horror story. If you enjoyed reading this article, feel free to share with friends and family, and give us a like on our GetKidsInternetSafe Facebook page.
I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.
Onward to More Awesome Parenting,
Tracy S. Bennett, Ph. D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
Work Cited
Ed S. (2017) Craigslist Code Words: Do you Know What They Really Mean?
Irin C. (2011) The Disturbing Story of the Craigslist “Sex Slave”
Jeff E. (2015) Shocking Details of Alleged Child Prostitution Case Make Court Onlookers Gasp
John M. (2016) Hamilton man loses $2, 500 to Craigslist Scam
Justin J. (2013) Stalkers use online ads as weapons against victims
Kelley P. (2017) Wife thought to be victim in “rape fantasy” Craigslist case now charged with framing husbands ex-girlfriend
Levi P. (2008) Free and Friendly Craigslist has its dark side
Paul M. (2013) 8 Vile Craigslist Scams to Watch Out For
Usman A. (2014) Top 10 Countries using Craigslist 2014
Top 10 Countries using Craigslist 2014
Terynn B. (2013) Who is Craig From Craigslist
Who is Craig From Craigslist?
Photos Credits
Shady Characters Jason Rogers, CC BY 2. 0
The dark sides Georgie Pauwels, CC BY 2. 0
Come to the Dark Side Holley and Chris Melton, CC BY 2. 0
Craig’s List Clone for Do It With Drupal Jeff Robbins, CC BY 2. 0
Reese, Hacker. Donnie Ray Jones, CC BY 2. 0
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How to Contact Craigslist + 5 Customer Service Tips
Are you having a problem with using a part of Craigslist, or see something sketchy on Craigslist that you feel you should report? The easiest way to get in touch with Craigslist is by filling out a contact form on their website.
To contact Craigslist customer service:
Go to in your web browser (which will take you to the sub-site for your local area or city). Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click Help.
Scroll to the “Miscellaneous” section at the bottom of the screen, and click Contact Us.
To help Craigslist more easily categorize and understand your issue, you must choose a reason why you want to contact them. Some options (such as the one in this example) have sub-issues that you can select, which will prompt Craigslist to give you suggestions on how to fix them (or at least where to look for help).
If you still need help and need to contact Craigslist directly, click Contact Us.
A contact form will appear, allowing you to submit your inquiry to Craigslist.
Click in each of the text boxes here (from top to bottom) and type in:
— Your name
— Your (Craigslist account) email address
— The specific topic that you want Craigslist to address
— Details explaining the specific issue that you are having
NOTE: For some options, you may have to input additional information, such as ID numbers for specific advertisements posted on Craigslist.
When you’re done, click Send Message.
Watch your email for a response, and work it out from there! If this method doesn’t work out for you, there are other ways to get in touch with Craigslist. Here are a couple other methods you can try.
Other ways to contact Craigslist
While the on-site contact forms are the preferred way to get in contact with Craigslist, there are other avenues that you can try.
How to email Craigslist
You may be able to reach Craigslist customer service by sending an email to [email protected].
Craigslist phone number
Craigslist’s customer service department can be reached by phone, toll-free, at 800-664-0633.
Now that we’ve told you about all the ways you can contact Craigslist customer support, here are a few tips that may help you out as well.
5 helpful tips for contacting Craigslist
1. Try getting in touch with the seller/poster of the ad first.
If you’re having an issue with something you purchased from Craigslist, try getting in touch with the person who sold it to you before you contact Craigslist directly. See if you can come to an agreement or work things out with the seller first.
2. Be patient while trying to get your problem solved.
Millions of people use Craigslist, and tons of people have questions just like you – so it can take a while to hear back from their customer service team. Try your best to be patient when waiting for a response from them, and look into other ways you may be able to solve the issue yourself if it’s taking too long to hear from them.
3. Check out the Craigslist “help desk” forums for answers.
If you’re having an issue with Craigslist, it’s possible that another user has had the same issue before and may be able to help you solve it. Check out the help desk forums on Craigslist to read questions and replies other people have posted, or ask a question yourself if you can’t find the answer there already.
4. Look through the FAQ section.
Going along with our last tip, we’d recommend checking out the Craigslist FAQ (frequently asked questions) section to see if you can find information that could help you solve your issue. You can find the FAQ page for Craigslist here.
5. Contact your local authorities if necessary, and you can’t get a solution to your issue.
If the issue you’re having with Craigslist escalates to being a serious problem, don’t hesitate to contact your local authorities. The police may be able to help if you’ve been scammed or if someone is harassing you through Craigslist.
We hope that you’re able to get in touch with Craigslist and resolve your problem! If you feel like the site just isn’t for you anymore, check out some of our favorite Craigslist alternatives that might focus more on customer service. In our next article, we’ll tell you about many common scams that occur on Craigslist, for both buyers and sellers, and how you can avoid falling victim to them.
Frequently Asked Questions about craigslist questions
Why is Craigslist bad?
The Dark Side: Scammers, Stalkers, and Setups. Scammers use Craigslist to steal money from unsuspecting victims by placing fraudulent advertisements with incredible deals. Buyers are asked to send money orders or checks online, and after making payment, never receive their item.
How do I talk to someone on Craigslist?
Craigslist’s customer service department can be reached by phone, toll-free, at 800-664-0633.Jul 18, 2017
How do you tell if someone is scamming you on Craigslist?
How to Spot a Scam on CraigslistAvoid deals that seem too good to be true.Look out for ads that display a sense of urgency.Watch for deals where the seller asks for money upfront to secure the item.Be smart about how you pay.If an ad offers an item for sale that doesn’t match the image, it’s likely a scam.More items…