craigslist horror

I read that story. I have sold a few things using Craig's list, but gave it up. The concept makes me nervous and I can't help communicating the feeling to customers over the phone.

Years back when we bought new carpeting, we had more than expected left over (measure twice, cut once) It was enough to carpet a home office or bedroom. We were asking a really great price.

Every single person who called acted like we were taking food out of they're families mouth for not offering it for next to nothing, or in fact, nothing. This church called us asking if we would care to donate it for their daycare. Yeah, sure.
That experience left us with the idea that everyone out there was nuts.

When I look for part time, just for extra money work, I do go to craigslist, as they are businesses that I know are real.

Oh, yeah. Every customer wants a cut in price. I learned during the first sale to ask more than I wanted after that. That way they got a "discount" and I got my price.

I gotta think that craigslist is as safe a place for buyers and sellers to connect as the newspaper classified have been since about 1973 as this society is now down to the violent crime level of my childhood. Life is not risk free, when did this concept become so hard for people to understand? If you cant deal with the risk then drop your crap off at goodwill.

Geez. there are a couple of stories (admittedly horrible). but isn't this a bit of an overreaction?

There are 60 million Craigslist users... and 1 or 2 murders a year (if even that many). There are 33,000 automobile deaths a year. There are 4,400 deaths at workplaces each year. If you get behind the wheel of a car or go to work each day, but are too afraid to use Craigslist, you aren't being rational.

Craiglist is pretty damn safe. In fact, it is probably one of the safest things you can do.

ooh. I retract all I said. Thanks for setting me straight.

Yes. I too will adjust my behavior to suit these 2 people I will never meet in my life, and adhere to their opinions of how I should feel.

I'm grateful for being set straight, and that I should not trust my own judgement.

You have every right to adjust your behavior by however you want. If you want to live your life reaction to each grisly news story of the day, then who am I to say no.

These stories are are chosen because they are sensationalist, not because they present a real risk. These tabloid stories draw your interest, get your clicks (which earn someone money) and are the best thing to sell you stuff. They aren't a real representation of any real risk.

You can live your life the way you want. But you are publishing this in a public place in a way that might encourage other people to react as you do. You are presenting buying and selling things on Craigslist as something that is risky. It is not risky (by any rational definition of risk).

I just want to point out to anyone reading that this fear of Craigslist isn't rational.

However when you (figuratively) exaggerate known risks expect to be called out for letting your emotions steer you wrong. Proper risk/benefit analysis is a critical life skill, competence in this endeavour must be encouraged.

I just did a quick Google on Craiglist killings. There was a number of stories. I then did a quick Google on mall killings. There was an equivalent number of stories.

The Craiglist killings are sexier and they are more sensational than mall killings (or restaurant killings or bus killings... not to mention automobile killings). That is why there are more people with an irrational fear of using Craiglist than there are of going to the mall.

In reality with tens of millions of people using Craigslist and going to malls (or eating out in restaurants or driving a car), it is highly unlikely that any one person is going to be a victim in any case. If you respond with fear to every single grisly story about every horrible thing that happened to any one of 350 million people living in America, you would be living in fear of everything.

http://www.cnet.com/news/florida-police-seek-to-stop-craigslist-crimes/#ftag=YHF65cbda0
In 2009 along 15399 were killed in this country, just for comparison. An average of about 10 per year being killed in relationship to a craigslist ad would not be statistically relevant.

http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm

Near as I can tell the chances of being killed re Craigslist is less than half of what it is to be killed by lighning
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/almost-no-americans-die-from-lightning-strikes-anymore-why/283046/

I'm a dedicated Craigslist shopper. As horrifying as this story is I don't think I'll be dissuaded from using it. However, if I'm by myself I do call Mr. B and say "Just wanted you to know I'm at the address I sent you." or something like that so that the person at least knows that I'll be missed and someone will know where I had last been.

And that's a perfectly reasonable response. I have a friend that uses Craigs List several times a year.

How many times have you met either a buyer or a seller? What was your most sketchy experience?

That's an excellent tactic.

I've met dozens and dozens of sellers; only a few buyers.

I've not had any scary experiences but had one person get very upset when I called out their item as a knock-off when they were trying to sell it as the real deal. That was uncomfortable.

I usually buy pretty high end stuff from craigslist. People always want to be paid in cash so it isn't uncommon to have $500 or more on me when I knock on their door. I'm more concerned about being set up for robbery than murder.

boom, that's what I was getting at with your action of letting someone know in the presence of the other person that your current location was your last known whereabouts.

Was what happened to this woman a horror? Absolutely.

Do I believe that every meet up with someone from craigslist may meet with a murder? Absolutely not.

However, when one is meeting a complete stranger, you need to be aware that any number of things could go wrong. That would include robbery, assault, or any number of things that could make you feel the situation is not on the up and up.

Is it paranoid to walk into a situation with a clear plan of what you would do if something did go awry? Absolutley not. This is not a black (I'm going to be murdered) or white (everybody is just so nice) situation. It's using the prudent caution of an intelligent person to avoid any type of mishap.

Perhaps this woman would not have been cut open, and her fetus killed if when the crazy woman answered the door, she let her know that someone was waiting for her in the car (and pointing to that person) or making a call as you do letting someone know where you are.

If someone did that if they were coming to my house (and I wouldn't do that, I'd meet in a neutral place) I'd think that they were pretty smart and careful.

And don't forget about cardiac arrest, sinkholes, meteor strikes, earthquakes, or killer bees...

... yes we must be prepared for anything (no matter how unlikely).