Scammers on Craigslist >:-I (Warning, Rant Ahead)

You know that I've been trying to find a job in Ohio, right? You also know that I've been using craigslist as one route of finding available positions?

Well, I've officially been scammed. If anyone else has ever looked for a job on craigslist, you know that there's that page between the lists and the actual postings that warns about the existance of scammers, and if anyone asks you to upload your resume to some third party site after you've already emailed it to them, and get credit reports and send them the confirmation numbers because they get paid somehow for getting people to sign up for the different sites.

Happened to me. I got a response this morning, which sounded great (just because you really can't judge by grammar anymore) but asked me both to upload my resume to another site, and for a credit report confirmation number. I was nice, and upon realizing that her 'company' website was nothing more than an ad for that stupid 'google cash and make a grand a week' thing, I sent her an email. I said I had some questions regarding the validity of the employment position she had, and outlined for her exactly why. I said if it is a real honest to God employment opportunity for an Administrative Assistant, then I would humbly and sincerely apologize for being inappropriately cynical and extremely rude. If she didn't respond, or it was just a scam, I'd be reporting her to craigslist. Within TEN, yes TEN minutes I had a response. The response? Here, I'll let you read it for yourselves.

Subject: The housing you inquired about

Message: hi before i send you the information about the house or apartment i
have listed i need to be sure that i have permission to email you. PLease click
the link below to recieve this information. Thank you.

Ummm.... NO. WTF? I have already flagged the posting on craigslist, as well as emailed them that she is a scammer. SCREW HER and anyone else who is trying to profit by taking advantage of people just trying to find HONEST employment. Or, apparently, housing.

How greedy and callous does a person have to be to be able to do this with out any problems from their concious? I sure as hell couldn't do it. Shouldn't we all be trying to work together, especially in this recession when nearly everyone is hurting in one way or another?

The part that really gets me is that this person has managed to craft an initial response that makes it seem as though it has really been sent by someone, albeit someone with rather lacking grammar skills. Unfortunately, that is not all that uncommon. So for a few minutes, until I caught on, I was really excited! A great position which could not sound more like it was crafted for me and my skills, which is not only in the area to which I'm moving, but is going to pay me more than I'm getting now? Then the crush of disapointment set in. I now have a headache and swimmy head on top of it. BOO.

We have to leave soon. Soon, as in the next month. Something had better give, and soon. I really, really, really, really don't want to have to go back to Cracker Barrel.