Caution: "Pets to Paint"

[RedTahoe]

Wanting to get something done for a friend of mine who was a director of a TR center for over a decade, I found a listing on Craigslist called "Pets to Paint." The original ad stated that the artist would take a photograph of your pet (in this case, the director's horse) and would "hand-paint it."

A few weeks ago, they had an ad on Craigslist that said, "the first ten people receive a free portrait!" Awesome (or so I thought). I contacted the person via the anonymous e-mail provided, and I attached a photo of the horse. I didn't sign my e-mail, I copied the subject line from his message, and I said, "I hope I'm one of the 10! Let me know!"

Well....guess what....

About 5 minutes later, I receive two e-mails: a "proof" of the "painting" that was to be done and a PayPal invoice. They did nothing more than take the photo, run it through a filter on Photoshop, and send it back to me telling me it was a proof, and the larger one would come soon. The message was, as follows:

"Here is the free painting I promised. You may have it was an 8x10 on canvas for only $39 plus $10 shipping and handling. For your convenience, I am invoicing you through PayPal so you have have the finished canvas painting sooner. Thank you."

After seeing the "quality" of the work I told the "artist" that I would not be interested in the portrait even if I did win and was one of the ten.

Lo and behold, just now I receive an e-mail regarding the invoice request via PayPal for $49 for my "pet portrait" with the note, "I'm getting ready to put your pet on canvas. When might you honor the PayPal invoice I sent to you?" and signed by the "artist."

I, again, told them I was NOT interested in any of his "artwork," and to not contact me again as I did not request a portrait be painted. I only sent a photo (copied and pasted his subject line of the "free to the first ten") and said "let me know" not, "it doesn't matter if I win or not, go ahead and proceed with the portrait, and I will pay whatever bill you send to me."

Be very VERY careful as I have seen some ads on horse message boards as well from him.

P.S. This person is not an overseas scammer. I only recently found their website online as the initial e-mail sent to me was not from the "company" e-mail address and, when googled, didn't come up as anything.

[IdahoRider]

It's Craigslist! What did you expect? I understand that each area's "community" is different, but based on the Craigslist here, you're lucky he/they didn't show up in the middle of the night and rob you you blind.
I have doubts about any business that advertises on Craigslist or forums.
Sheilah

[RedTahoe]

How does someone show up in the middle of the night and rob someone blind when they have zero contact information but an e-mail address? (An e-mail address I only use to answer Craigslist ads).

As this "artist" had ads on other websites (horse forums, etc.) I didn't think anything of it.

There are several reputable businesses and artists that advertise on Craigslist: I happen to be one of them.

[Chardavej]

LOL! I advertise on CL!!!

[IdahoRider]

There has been a ton of "talk" here in this part of Idaho about getting Craigslist removed. There has been one attempted abduction of a woman who answered an ad on Craigslist for an iPhone. The ad itself was bogus and only placed to lure a woman. But the desire to get something for nothing was so strong that many women were lined up to put themselves in danger. Men answered the ad, too. But the guy weeded them out. Regarding not sharing personal information through an e-mail, you would be surprised at how many people do just that. Good for you that you wouldn't/didn't. But please know that simply googling your e-mail address can bring up a whole lot of stuff. For instance, your phone number if you have ever used both your e-mail addy and your phone number in an advertisement in a newspaper, or on a website for, say, dog adoptions or horse adoptions.

Then there was the home repair scam run by a group of itinerant "gypsies". And the prostitution ring busted when one of the women running it offered her 13 year old daughter to a cop who answered the Craigslist ad as part of a sting operation. One of the local news stations did a series on our regional Craigslist and possible remedies to the problems presented..

The list is endless for this area. As I said, BASED on the Craigslist HERE, you got off lucky. I don't know, maybe the Craigslist in your area might be full of a better class of people than the one here. Because the one here is full of scams, BYB and crazies. Remember I did, in fact, preface my statement with the comment about the issues with the Craigslist here.
Sheilah

[RedTahoe]

Well considering this guy wasn't advertising a local service, and I have more common sense than to meet a complete stranger at my home or their home, I don't think I "got off lucky."

Sorry, but having a DF that is a Law Enforcement Officer, I'm a tad bit wiser, and like I said, I ONLY use this particular e-mail address for answering Craigslist ads and have never posted any other information about myself (including phone number) with this e-mail address (including when signing up for the e-mail account). It's just another way of protecting oneself from an online marketplace.

[chaltagor]

But RT fear mongering is more fun. Did you know no women were ever attacked or raped or no crimes committed before Craigslist was invented?

[twofatponies]

That's a pretty lame service and scammy way to treat customers. Blah.

[GettingBack]

There has been a ton of "talk" here in this part of Idaho about getting Craigslist removed.

What?

I wasn't going to respond, but this statement is just ridiculous (not that YOU made the statement ridiculous, but...)

Get it removed from what? If Iran can't block Twitter, how the heck do you think that Idaho is going to block Craigslist?

*shaking head*

If you're really displeased with a service, please do post something in that same section of Craigslist that you found the advertisement warning folks that that particular person does not do actual paintings but rather photoshops photographs. This will help the people that are there ferret out the "bad guys". You can also flag that ad for removal (but that may not work, if it doesn't violate the Craigslist terms of service).

This is how social media works, guys - the people who started Craigslist simply created a space for people to exchange goods. They aren't responsible for the fact that sometimes there are bad people. Just like the Chronicle forums isn't responsible for Chanter, or any of the other crazies who have wreaked havoc in real life as a result of interactions on this board.

And as far as some guy luring someone with the promise of a free iPhone - okay, first of all...duh. Second, you know, internet rapes and murders are wayyyy down there on the statistical likelihood. You're way more likely to be raped, attacked or murdered by someone you know.

It just doesn't make for a good media story and sell as well as the "evil lurking behind the computer screen".

Sorry - just had to comment - glad you didn't get scammed, sorry the guy was a jerk - but I do urge you to write an ad back - that's how it works on Craigslist.

[RedTahoe]

If you're really displeased with a service, please do post something in that same section of Craigslist that you found the advertisement warning folks that that particular person does not do actual paintings but rather photoshops photographs. This will help the people that are there ferret out the "bad guys". You can also flag that ad for removal (but that may not work, if it doesn't violate the Craigslist terms of service).

I have already done that, but since he posts in all of the Craigslists (or at least major cities), I thought I would warn any COTHers, too.

[IdahoRider]

According to the Idaho attorney general, some portions/all portions of Craigslist can be removed. They just wouldn't be offered anymore. Don't forget that this is Idaho, things can get out of hand quickly and it seemed that there were a whole lot of problems with the Boise area Craigslist in a fairly short amount of time. The prostitution issue was what really had a lot of people up in arms. Again, remember this is Idaho.

Of course, I don't think that anyone believes that these problems were created by Craigslist. That is ridiculous. But, in the case of the Boise area Craigslist, it has certainly made it easier for scammers and nutjobs to gain access to a larger audience.

Personally, I detest Craigslist for how easy it has become for BYB to dump litter after litter of puppies. It has made rescue in this area much, much more difficult.

Hey, RedTahoe. since I have you here...did you have to move your mare or did she stay at the barn your husband had worked for?
Sheilah

[BabyGreen]

Content for Craigslist exists in servers not in Idaho. The only way Idaho could stop Craigslist content is to get Craigslist to agree to remove it, or to have a court rule they they must. As because internet content is interstate commerce, it it likely that only a Federal Court could do so. Other than blowing up all fiber optic cable entering Idaho, that's the only way for a State to do what you suggest.

[Showsheen]

Personally I find Craigslist very scary. The perfect way to get solicited is to do anything on Craigslist. I have had a personal policy to avoid it, but one client I had insisted I list on it, I did and the only thing I got was a solicitation from someone who wanted to take pictures for their business, compensation to me and the owners? Zero. Needless to say, I felt lucky that is all the response I had, but I removed all ads after the first week. I think the initial idea of that site was a great one, but with all the sexual activity and the girls that were murdered after being solicited on there, I think it is far from safe and has strayed far from it's original intent. Scammers and Spammers and worse, lurk there actively.