February 2008

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The words of a first timer

February 28, 2008 in Craigslist, Prostitution/Human Trafficking by Trench Reynolds | 4 comments

Prostitution Goes High Tech:

This is an article from a Milwaukee news station about prostitution on craigslist. It isn’t anything that I haven’t already posted about but I found a quote by an arrested john pretty humorous.

“Jimmy” is a first-timer. He came to the hotel with condoms, cash and a box of candy for his date.

“You went on craigslist?” an undercover officer asked.

“Yes,” Jimmy said.

“You saw the undercover police officer’s ad, you thought she was a prostitute?” an undercover officer asked.

“I didn’t know it was an undercover police officer, obviously,” Jimmy said.

I would imagine that being a hooker or a john on craigslist is like playing Russian Roulette. You never know when someone is going to be a cop or criminal.

Fake hooker ad leads to carjacking

February 27, 2008 in Craigslist, Robbery by Trench Reynolds | No comments

Man carjacked, robbed in Pittsburg after responding to Craigslist sex ad:

A 23-year-old man from Brentwood, California was carjacked in Pittsburg, California after responding to a craigslist hooker ad. The location should have been a dead giveaway that he was going to be in trouble…

The victim found the ad on Craigslist and called the phone number to set up a date with the purported prostitute at a Pittsburg address in the Brickyard Housing Development around 9:30 p.m., Pittsburg police Lt. Brian Addington said Tuesday.

I don’t know anything about Pittsburg but that sounds like a pretty rough part of town. The phrase crack-ho comes to mind.

Anyway instead of being met by a prostitute he was met with a shotgun butt to the head and his truck was stolen.

Let that be a warning to all you crack-ho aficionados.

Rape charges dropped over craigslist ad

February 27, 2008 in Craigslist, Predators, Prostitution/Human Trafficking by Trench Reynolds | 4 comments

Charges Dropped Against Man Accused Of Impersonating Deputy, Raping Woman:

Here’s another downside to being a craigslist hooker. If you’re raped you won’t be believed.

Robert Pegues was arrested for impersonating a deputy and raping a woman. Then his lawyer turned up the woman’s craigslist ad and phone records showing that Pegues spoke several times with the woman prior to the alleged rape. Pegues says he responded to the woman’s ad but then had cold feet and didn’t pay the woman who in turn accused him of rape.

I’m not saying who’s right or wrong in this instance but it’s a damn interesting story that should be noted.

Toronto crackdown on e-hookers

February 26, 2008 in Craigslist, Prostitution/Human Trafficking by Trench Reynolds | No comments

Online escorts are off limits:

I like how the article calls them e-hookers. If they used Macs would they be iHookers?

Anyway the Toronto police are cracking down on craigslist prostitution. Just recently they arrested high class escort 38-year-old Sabina Mitakina. They seized over $150K in assets and are deporting her back to Russia.

I also like how the article said she was charged with keeping a common bawdy house and possession of proceeds of crime. Those Canadians, so polite.

The Toronto police are also saying that there is underage prostitution and human trafficking being conducted on craigslist as well.

SF man sentenced for tax fraud

February 26, 2008 in Craigslist by Trench Reynolds | No comments

San Francisco man who bought fake IDs on Craigslist sentenced for tax fraud:

33-year-old Roger Mai of San Francisco was sentenced to two years in prison for tax fraud . Mr. Mai used fake identity’s that he purchased on craigslist and used the identity’s to file phony tax returns. He filed 142 false returns and allegedly got $120K in refunds. He was shooting for $841K but prosecutors could only prove he got $57K. So I guess he got to keep $63K.

Your tax dollars at work.

Berkeley man posts harassing ads

February 26, 2008 in Craigslist, Harassment by Trench Reynolds | No comments

False Craigslist Post May End in Identity Theft Charge:

A 43-year-old man from Berkeley, California could be charged with identity theft after posting harassing ads on craigslist. The man in question posted ads stating that a 44-year-old mother and her 19-year-old daughter liked to have sex together and listed the family’s personal phone number and address. He posted the same ad five consecutive times. Luckily no one showed up but the phone did ring off the hook. It seems that the man dated the woman at one point but they broke up five years ago.

The DA isn’t sure if the man can be charged with identity theft yet but at the least this man should be charged with cyberstalking. If I remember correctly California doesn’t take stalking very lightly.

Readers’ scam e-mails

February 25, 2008 in Craigslist, Scams by Trench Reynolds | No comments

I received a couple of e-mails from reader gbel who is selling some things on craigslist and got the following responses from obvious scammers…

I am interested in the immediate purchase this placed on www.craigslist.org for my client and i will like to ask few questions before i proceed onthe purchase.

1 :- Is it still available for sell?

2 :- What is the condition ?

3 :- How old is it?

4 :- Where is it located ?

5 :- What is the final price of it ?

6 :- Will you be able to send more pictures to see how it look likes ?

7 :- Can my client take care of the shipping via our shipping courier service ?

8 :- Will you be able to wire the Shipping fess via western union money transfer to my client shipper? cos the payment of the item and the shipping fees will be issue out to u once

9 :- if accepted kindly get back to me with your full name and contact address including your phone number ?

My client can only raise payment for the item with the shipping fees via cashiers check or money order issued in American Bank which is cashable same day at your bank.Let me know if you accept the mode of payment for the item with shipping arrangement after you must have receive payment.I will be looking forward to read your response about the ad and you can as well e-mail me with the address where item is located with your contact name, address and phone number for the issuing out of the payment.Reply to (cirs2@yahoo.com)

Regards.

Let’s see. Broken English, wiring the money requested, cashier’s check, and no location given. Yep, that sounds like a scam to me.

On to the next scammer…

Thanks for your mail,I’m talking about the $140 car seat n stroller. I would have loved to come to pay cash and take it from you but I have already relocated.The payment would be made via money order.I hope this is fine with you.My movers would be comming for the pick up so you dont have to worry about shipping.

I will include the total cost to have it shipped with some other items and my other valuables. All you have to do when the payment gets to you is deduct your charges for the seat and have the rest forwarded via money gram money transfer to my shippers who will come over for pick up at your location.I hope you undersatnd?

Please get back at me with your full name complete address and phone number so i can have the payment sent to you asap.Thanks.

Mathew

Same as above but this time the scammer evebn says that he’s going to send more money that the item is worth. And what’s with his ‘other valuables’?

gbel worte back to this particular scammer…

G BE wrote:

Hello Mathew

could you be more specific as to what item do you need?

thanks

This was the response…

Hello, I am Mathew Nolan. I have been looking for your item and I was lucky to come across it on craigslist. I am very interested in buying it from you. The price seems reasonable by me. I just relocated to sa cos of the project am working on wtih the un. My shippers would be coming to pick up some of my valuables in my former apartment, so you don’t need to worry about shipping. Get back at me so we can discuss the payment. Thanks

Mathew

Doesn’t really answer gbel’s question does it? I also like how the buyer just relocated because of work they’re doing with the UN. I guess all the Peace Corps positions were filled.

Remember Trench’s craigslist law. Local only and cash only.

House scam in Washington

February 24, 2008 in Craigslist, Real Estate by Trench Reynolds | No comments

Scammer targeting local renters on Craigslist:

How would you like it if you put your house up for sale only to get calls from people who wanted to rent it. That’s what happened to a woman in Burien, Washington. People were responding to a craigslist ad for a house for rent only that the woman never placed an ad with craigslist.

The craigslist ad was directly copied from the legitimate real estate listing for the house only with some language changed. Of course people should have been tipped off that this was a scam…

McCann started get suspicious when the fake landlord wanted $2,000 upfront and claimed he couldn’t show the house because he was on a three-year mission trip to England.

The article also gives out some good advice when trying to rent or buy a property…

Anyone can find out who owns certain pieces of property on the Web site of the county property assessor.

And renters should always check out a rental property in person. Even without an appointment, renters can always knock on the door and find out whether the property is really for rent.

Not only that but even when dealing with real estate only deal with people in the local area.

craigslist hooker sting in Lenexa

February 23, 2008 in Craigslist, Prostitution/Human Trafficking by Trench Reynolds | No comments

Police Use Craigslist In Prostitution Sting:

Police in Lenexa, Kansas arrested 5 johns in a craigslist hooker sting. Here’s what one of them had to say…

“The problem is 10 years of marriage, is the problem,” he said when asked why he took the risk. “We sleep in separate rooms, but we’re still married for the kids. That’s it.”

He said it was the Craigslist that brought him here. “I was looking for a car,” he said.

Now daddy has to tell his kids that he’s a whoremonger.

Serial rapist in Maryland

February 22, 2008 in Craigslist, Predators by Trench Reynolds | 2 comments

Pr. George’s Police Suspect Online Prowler in Six Rapes:

Police in Prince George’s County, Maryland are saying that a serial rapist is using craigslist among other websites to find his victims. So far he’s committed six rapes in the county which began in August.

Allegedly he meets women online to set up sexual encounters then rapes his victims.

Police said they want to know whether others have been assaulted and ask that anyone with information call 301-772-4908.

I’m not going to criticize someone’s lifestyle but if you’re someone who is into what the article calls ‘sex dates’ you may want to rethink your choices for your own safety.

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