# I pit Craigslist scammers! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 2, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729 "2009-04-02T16:48:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/1 "2009-04-02T16:48:24Z")
I’ve repeatedly posted in the craigslist “casual encounters” section, and all I’ve gotten is spambots! What’s it take to get laid in this damned town? I was wondering why the hell the spammers bother… it seems to me like they need a real human being manning the computer to pass through the “text recognition” barrier they’ve set up… and now I’ve figured out why it’s worth their while. Got a message from a supposed woman who was interested in my ad, and invited to talk on instant messaging. Oh boy! This one is real! I thought. But nope, she claimed that her webcam wasn’t working for yahoo, and tried to steer me towards a “free website” where I only have to enter my credit card info for age verification. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: I replied “Not to be rude, but you’re acting an awful lot like a scam artist.” Then I just get a couple more messages insisting that I sign up and that she’s waiting for me. I reply “You ought to be fucking ashamed of yourself, scumbag.” And log off. Looks like I’ll continue to be a virgin for some time. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/2 "2009-04-02T17:09:18Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Looks like I’ll continue to be a virgin for some time. :smack: You didn’t ask for advice or anything, but I strongly recommend that your first sexual encounter _not_ be with a total stranger. Not because you should be in love or any of that nonsense, but because you’ll be extremely uncomfortable and one or both of you will probably get cold feet. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/3 "2009-04-02T17:13:17Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > What’s it take to get laid in this damned town? Frankly, a hell of a lot more than a free internet ad mentioning how much you want to get laid. You can meet people on the internet, but the internet isn’t going to get you laid. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/4 "2009-04-02T17:15:41Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Frankly, a hell of a lot more than a free internet ad mentioning how much you want to get laid. > > You can meet people on the internet, but the internet isn’t going to get you laid. Maybe not, but I’m still holding out hope until I can save up to take the bus down to a legal Nevada brothel. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/5 "2009-04-02T17:35:53Z")
Casual Encounters is so 2002. You’ll never get laid there. Misc Romance or just regular Women Seeking Men are your best bets. Craigslist was a gold mine when I was single. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/6 "2009-04-02T18:23:23Z")
Also, if you do continue to post there, post a second decoy message. Then when you get two responses right at the same time, you’ll know it’s a scam and can just delete them. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/7 "2009-04-02T18:34:28Z")
Y’know, I’m a man of the world, but this thread, I must admit, is an education. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/8 "2009-04-02T18:45:41Z")
_Number forty-seven said to number three: Youre the cutest spambot I ever did see. I’ll give my credit info to your company, Come on and do the Craigslist rock with me._ ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/9 "2009-04-02T18:48:53Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > I’ve repeatedly posted in the craigslist “casual encounters” section, and all I’ve gotten is spambots! What’s it take to get laid in this damned town? Sex with fembots sounds pretty good… Oh, you said _spambots_. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/10 "2009-04-02T19:51:11Z")
Are you under house-arrest, or suffering from crippling agoraphobia that disables you from meeting real people outside? ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/11 "2009-04-02T20:11:14Z")
Maybe he’s ugly? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/12 "2009-04-02T20:16:56Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > I’ve repeatedly posted in the craigslist “casual encounters” section, and all I’ve gotten is spambots! What’s it take to get laid in this damned town? > > I was wondering why the hell the spammers bother… it seems to me like they need a real human being manning the computer to pass through the “text recognition” barrier they’ve set up… and now I’ve figured out why it’s worth their while. > > Got a message from a supposed woman who was interested in my ad, and invited to talk on instant messaging. Oh boy! This one is real! I thought. But nope, she claimed that her webcam wasn’t working for yahoo, and tried to steer me towards a “free website” where I only have to enter my credit card info for age verification. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: > > I replied “Not to be rude, but you’re acting an awful lot like a scam artist.” Then I just get a couple more messages insisting that I sign up and that she’s waiting for me. I reply “You ought to be fucking ashamed of yourself, scumbag.” And log off. > > Looks like I’ll continue to be a virgin for some time. :smack: Want some advice? If you want just want to get laid and nothing more then google “pick up artist”. Read, learn, practice and there you go. I read up on that stuff trying to get over an ex. You’ll have to learn to separate the noise from the signal but that stuff will you get you laid eventually. Just takes practice. I’d personally kind of feel cheap doing it that way though. I’d want it to be with someone that wasn’t a near stranger personally. If you want to find a girlfriend or something. Read the pick up artist stuff anyway. It’s good social skill stuff. Then this is the important part. Forget the pick up artist stuff because it’s distracting noise. Then what you do is: Remeber chicks are people. Nothing special. Have fun. Be yourself, but chillaxed. Watch social dynamics and learn to be an alpha of the group. Remember to have fun. Dress nice. Learn to be social, but also learn to be mysterious, and there you go. Now you might ask why do I tell you to learn the pick up artist stuff but then to forget it? Seems counter productive don’t it? Well it’s part of the refining process. It’ll teach you social skills you’ll be able to learn intuitively. It’s like the Tao. Pursue to hard and it runs away, use it effortlessly. I’ve went from a shy awkward geek to a shy confident geek with a great sense of humor who was totally checked out by this cute chick in BAM-101. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/13 "2009-04-02T20:56:35Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Are you under house-arrest, or suffering from crippling agoraphobia that disables you from meeting real people outside? No, it’s just I have no idea how to otherwise meet single women. Bars? So I can waste hundreds of dollars buying ladies drinks and probably get no results? No thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/14 "2009-04-02T20:59:40Z")
Don’t buy them drinks. That’s a bad idea. Just, oh I don’t know, talk to them like they are human beings. And yes, you will be rejected. Many times. Man up and deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/15 "2009-04-02T21:04:23Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Remeber chicks are people. Nothing special. Have fun. Be yourself, but chillaxed. Food isn’t special either, but if you’ve been without it for awhile it tends to predominate the mind. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/16 "2009-04-02T21:10:21Z")
> [@Carl\_Corey](#): > > Don’t buy them drinks. That’s a bad idea. Just, oh I don’t know, talk to them like they are human beings. Correct. As a Professional Tippler, I’ve been to many a bar and have been offered many a drink. The first thing I think when a man starts buying me drinks immediately --and I mean straight out the gate, not after an hour of pleasant conversation-- is, this guy is trying to lay me. The second thing I think is, this guy is trying to get me drunk so that he can lay me. And then I think, a guy who liquors a lady up for some trim is a scumbag at best, and a date-rapist at worst. This trick, however, may still work on sorority sluts, so try them. And yes, rejection is a part of life. It happens with people in real life, with people on the internets, and with spam-bots. Get over it. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/17 "2009-04-02T21:10:23Z")
> [@Carl\_Corey](#): > > And yes, you will be rejected. Many times. Man up and deal with it. I think I’d be better to “man up and deal with it” if I had some… nay, ANY track record of success to fall back on. If you’re getting into your mid twenties with no success stories… well, a person can only get rejected so many times before feeling like a freak. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/18 "2009-04-03T00:33:57Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > And yes, rejection is a part of life. It happens with people in real life, with people on the internets, and with spam-bots. Get over it. Do guys _really_ try to buy you drinks in bars? ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/19 "2009-04-03T01:18:34Z")
I am really no authority in this matter, but that won’t stop me from offering advice. Hah. Unless you are terminally ugly, do your own listing explaining your situation. I am sure there is at least one girl out there curious about fucking a virgin. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729/20 "2009-04-03T01:30:07Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Watch social dynamics and learn to be an alpha of the group. > […]Learn to be social, but also learn to be mysterious, and there you go. If any of the above give you trouble, keep saving up for that brothel. One of the great paradoxes of modern American life is that if you can’t jockey for position in a group effectively, no one is going to be much interested in you one-on-one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-craigslist-scammers/491729.md?page=2)