This past weekend an ad was placed on Craigslist that a guy down on his luck had to leave town and all of his belongings were free for the taking, tools, household goods, clothes, everything...It also said that he had to abandon his horse, and if someone could rescue the horse...blah, blah...
So, someone showed up and rescued the horse and alot of other people showed up to get some free stuff...
But the owner showed up--and he DID NOT place the ad. Someone had placed it as a hoax. Can you imagine coming home and having people rifling through your things and carting them off?? And having your horse missing?
So the owner gets very angry and tells the free-seekers to return his things and THEY START ARGUING with him that they are just responding to an ad. OMG!
The police were called and now they are trying to get people who had already came and left before the owner got home, to return his stuff. Luckily, the horse rescuer was a very honest, kind person who called immediately and returned the horse...but can you imagine???
There is a thread on this article and some of the free-seekers are angry that they 1. have to return their freebies and 2. they can't return it at their leisure otherwise they will be charged with theft.
Um...ok.
This is wrong on so many levels. The system is broke if someone can easily place a hoax ad that causes such emotional distress and financial damage. Why would so many people just assume it is ok to and show up and start taking...without confirming the facts...
And the arguing and resentment over not getting to keep the free stuff is beyond my comprehension.
The proper folks are investigating and hopefully someone will be prosecuted...but wow.
There have since been reports that this has happend to others in other states...boy. Logic clearly defied.
Unreal but True -Craigslist Story
March 26th, 2008 at 01:45 am
March 26th, 2008 at 01:53 am 1206496385
March 26th, 2008 at 02:20 am 1206498032
March 26th, 2008 at 03:32 am 1206502327
March 26th, 2008 at 06:21 am 1206512519
March 26th, 2008 at 11:52 am 1206532344
And the house was in a neighborhood. Where were the neighbors? Why didn't they call the police? And Craigslist is not releasing the name of the person who placed the ad without a court order.
Source: http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2212697/man-loses-house-craigslist-hoax
March 26th, 2008 at 01:13 pm 1206537226
Seeing as how this is a hoax, Craigslist SHOULD willingly give up the name of the perpetrator, and emphasize a policy against hoaxes.
But the fact that they didn't is disappointing to say the least.
March 26th, 2008 at 01:47 pm 1206539241
March 26th, 2008 at 02:07 pm 1206540448
So, um, be careful when you see a free ad.
(& yeah I am with Thriftorama - who would complain about giving the stuff back?)
No words...
March 26th, 2008 at 02:19 pm 1206541160
The old saying, if it seems too good to be true, it ain't true. How likely is it that a guy is just going to leave all his stuff for strangers to rifle through?
I've never used Craigslist, but I can't believe they don't have a policy in place for something like this. How can they place an ad inviting the world to help themselves to all someone's belongings without verifying that the real person placed the ad?
The people complaining about giving the stuff back -- so they wouldn't mind if someone did that to them?
Also, that guy must have a serious enemy. I hope the police are investigating from that angle.
March 26th, 2008 at 03:47 pm 1206546437
March 26th, 2008 at 04:45 pm 1206549926
Still laughing.
Lola