No more free advertising for prostitutes on Craigslist
Filed under: Sex Sells
Craigslist has become a popular choice for mostly free classified ads in over 450 cities worldwide. The site's appeal to consumers is obvious: The ability to buy or sell just about anything for free. And that "anything" included sex.Law enforcement agencies have gotten so riled up over the proliferation of sex for sale ads on Craigslist, that the company is finally taking steps to limit the listings. Craigslist has made an agreement with attorneys general from 40 states that the site will require those placing ads for "erotic services" to pay a fee with a credit card and give the site a working telephone number.
The collection of that information ensures that the sex for sale ads will not be completely anonymous, and law enforcement will have a simple paper trail to follow in trying to enforce laws against prostitution. Although Craigslist has been trying to limit ads for illegal activities, its has found it difficult.
Will this new process aid law enforcement efforts? I doubt it. It will likely reduce the number of sex-for-sale related listings. But there will still be listings, and enterprising young business owners will find a way around the controls. All it will take is a disposable telephone number and a disposable credit card number. I give Craigslist credit for trying to limit advertising for illegal activities, but I predict that this won't have much of a long-term impact. Personally, I wonder why they don't just eliminate the "erotic services" section of the site if they care so much about the issue.
Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-07-2008 @ 9:59AM
Arby said...
They really need to look into other services as well. I went looking for a masseuse for my husband. When I asked for prices - I was quoted at like 60 for a regular massage that "your wife can stay in and watch" and ended with prices at like 200 "for a happy ending with hot naked masseur."
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11-07-2008 @ 11:02AM
Rhonda said...
Maybe some aiding and abetting charges for Craigslist owner is in order
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11-07-2008 @ 12:07PM
Alan said...
But what about all the people who use Craigs List to hook up recreationally and don't want to exchange money for it? Will this mean the cops will be investigating those now, too?
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11-07-2008 @ 5:38PM
Tracy Coenen said...
I had no idea that people were advertising for free hookups on Craigslist too! *gasp*
11-18-2008 @ 3:43AM
Kelly said...
There are 100's of sites that allow escorts to advertise free and not monitored by law enforcement.
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12-22-2008 @ 11:02AM
HAPPY said...
Wus da night afo' Crizzmus, and all thru da hood,
everybody be sleepin' and da sleepin' be good.
We hunged up our stockins, an hoped like all heck,
dat dear Ol' Obama's, gunna brang us our checks.
All of da family, was ly'in on the flo,
my sister wif her gurlfriend, and my brotha wif some hoe.
Ashtrays was all full, empty beer cans and all
when I heared such a fuss, I thunk...."Sh'eet, it must be da
law".
I pulled the sheet off da winda and what I'ze could see,
I was spectin' the sherrif, wif a warrent fo' me.
But what did I see, made me say, "Laaawd look at dat"
dere was a huge watermelon, pulled by 8 big-ass rats.
Now over all of da years, Santy Claws he be white,
but it looks like us brotha's, got a black un' tonight.
Faster than a poe'lice car, my homeboy he came,
and whupped up on dem rats, as he called dem by name.
On Biden, On Jessie, On Polosi and Hillary Who
On Fannie, On Freddi, On Ayers, and Slick Willy too.
Obama landed dat melon, right dere in da street,
I knowed it fo' sho', - can you believe that Sh'eet!
Dat Santy didn't need no chimney, he picked da lock on my doe,
an I sez to myself, "Son o' *****...he don did dis befoe"!
He had a big bag, full of presents - at first I suspeck?
Wif "Air Jordans" and fake gold, to wear roun my neck.
But he left me no presents, just started stealin my ****.
He got my guns and my crack, and my new burglers kit.
Den, wif my crap in his bag, out da winda he flew,
I sho' woulda shanked him, but he snagged my knife too.
He jumped back on dat melon, wif out even a hitch,
and wuz gone in two seconds, "democrat son of a *****".
So nex year I be hopin', a white Santy we git,
'cause a black Santy Claws, just ain't worf a ****!!!
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