What kind of experience did you have?
How does anyone feel safe? I don't even feel safe buying/selling on that site sometimes.
Of course last year some woman went on a date with a guy she met on some dating site, a second date I believe and they went to a ball game or something. She ended up dead and being hacked up and put into a dumpster. So maybe there is no really safe place.
We don't notice the thousands of meetings that go smoothly, because we never hear about such uneventful circumstances. We fixate on the exceptionally rare outliers because they're the ones that are reported. I think these dating tragedies serve as a reminder to be cautious, but nothing is safe. There are stories of people killing their partner after years of marriage. I think all anyone can do, reasonably, is to get to know a potential date/lover/partner slowly, stick to public spaces at first, watch for warning signs, etc.
No. But I read them regularly for the entertainment value...
I met a few girls on there before it turned into a serial killer/prostitute/pic collector/spam hang out. I also sold a file cabinet on there once. It's no different than meeting anyone from any other website or even in person. You never know who someone is until you find out. You can meet a murderer or cheater or asshole anywhere. You just have to meet people in a crowded enough place and decide if you want to take it further.
I've never used Craigslist but caution is certainly advised. Meet in public, let someone know the where and the when and check in with them. Odds are very much against actual physical harm but best to be careful.
You're much more likely to die in a car wreck than be killed by another person but do you let that risk stop you from driving?
Craig's list has gotten such a bad reputation, I'd be scared to even buy anything from there! And no way I'd date someone!
@Akfishlady I've found and sold stuff on letgo and offer up, and had pretty good luck with both.
I think meeting anyone through an online ad is a crapshoot, regardless of any site. You have to be careful, take precautions, only meet them when you're ready and in a public place and don't have any unrealistic expectations. That being said, I actually did make a few connections through Craigslist - most of the men who responded were just impressed that I could put two sentences together, so I guess that says a lot about people's expectations of the type of people who use the site. A couple have actually stepped it up though in their communication abilities, and one I have met a few times, though neither of us are sure where it's going. But I'm just completely surprised with even this, because I had no bites on conventional dating sites.
Mace. Mace is your friend.
@Akfishlady Hey I was headed into a Mall from a parking garage in an underground tunnel - my sister comes from the opposite direction - we are both holding Mace canisters with our thumbs over the trigger.
I'm like "Well taught!". When it's held down by your side it's invisible to others. We just recognized the hand hold.
@Akfishlady Hey if you knew the Mall you'd understand.
I have perused it and still occasionally do. In the past I have commented on a few posts, assuming they can spell and have a grasp of grammar. However, I generally find, once I see pictures, that they are missing teeth, do not know about basic hygiene or keep up with current events. Not to sound like a snob but a girl has to have standards.
I did however chat with and eventually meet a couple for a 3some. She made me promise to not meet with him unless she was with. I readily agreed to that. But of course he started messaging me wanting to get together just the two of us. So I stopped communicating with either of them.
I have used it, that's how I met my last GF. Although it didn't work out, we're still friends and in fact still roommates...weird, I know, but rents are out of control in LA.
Just use common sense. Go slow enough to feel comfortable and don't meet in a private place till you do feel comfortable.
Unfortunately, a tiny, tiny fraction of the population is nuts. And you can meet them online or in person. I know it’s riskier for women, but in any case we’re all taking a chance when we meet up with a relative stranger. I’ve been on a couple of online matches with women who were certifiable, but I’ve also met women who were perfectly nice just not a good fit. I think the best approach is to get to know someone with phone chats before any sort of in-person meeting, and even then it’s good to be cautious.
never. I think of that as the site people list free pups and they end up being used as bait dogs
That's how I ended up with my cat, Kitty about six years ago.
She was a stray -- I thought she was feral. Turns out she wasn't. I took her to the vet, got her limp looked at and, since I didn't want to be a cat mommy again, I put an ad on CL.
I connected with a very nice lady with a family and made an appointment.
In the next 24 hours or so, my brain went haywire.
"Why is she coming all the way here -- 60 miles?!? They have shelters in Hammond. Why doesn't she get a cat from a local shelter? I know. She doesn't want to have to give up ID, money or anything because she is going to use this cat as bait for dog fighting."
So, I canceled and still have Kitty.
Nope. I've heard they are rife with scammers.
@Akfishlady I have seen numerous posts saying most of the profiles are bots
Never done it. I tried some other sites with very little success. Seems like all the women wanted playmates and not an educated, grounded, and decent guy. Odd.
I have been on Craig's List for a while but never dated. There is a lot of weird-o's that hit that site. I have sold a lot of things from cars to refrigerators. I find stuff on the free site and then sell the stuff. Most people are moving and can't haul it with them, so they give it away.
I've used craigslist a few times. Always ask them to change the subject line to something else to separate the automatic scammers. Other than that it's hit or miss like just about every other dating site.
I have answered ads and placed ads. From what I know the experience is different for men and women. Men get a ton more scammers than women do. They all want the men to join websites or some such and ask for a credit card. When I put an ad up, it's kind of like being run over by a steamroller of email. I'll get close to 100 emails in the first couple days. I get scammers too but they use a different tactic with women. They're always either some kind of engineer or ex military, either divorced or widowed with a child between 8 & 14. They try to play on massive flattery and pull the heart strings with the "motherless child" bs.
If you're going to place an ad on craigslist you had better be prepared for a lot of dick pics.
I have actually met a few men thru the ads. A couple of them barely got past hello before I had a sudden engagement somewhere else.
Actually, with my wife a few years ago, met a couple through Craigslist, went out to dinner, had a nice time.. like people are saying any site can be used by a psycho, and precautions (meeting in public, watching to make sure you're not followed home) just make good sense