Craigslist fraudulent posting?

[Mhamilton0911]

I don't know if I'm posting in the right spot, but I'm looking for advice on how to proceed here.

I'll start by saying, I don't really like craigslist. I've used it for years, YEARS, but I've never really liked it. Meetings are weird, at best. However, every now and then, I'll find something great, or someone actually buys from me. Right now I have a listing for a plant package. Just like what I sell on here. A mix of vals, bacopa, moss, floaters. I'm selling for $20. This ad has gotten me a few sales, but it's not usually a hot market.

This morning I browsed CL, to see a similar post, BUT IT'S NOT MINE. It appears to be copied and pasted from my post, but without the pictures, and missing the last text line. It even says my town, and I live in a small town. I guarantee no one in my town is selling these plants except for me. And the post heading says "plants free to good home" so possibly confusing the two posts. To a prospective buyer, pay 20, or free, for the same plants?

Is weird. It's freaking me out a bit. I contacted CL, but who knows if they respond. No one hacked my account, it's not listed on my account, just the one I actually posted. So someone posted on a different account a 98% match to my post? Why? What's to gain? I literally know no one here, I have no friends, or family. Apart from thr few sales that went great, no one knows me, so no one would try to screw me here. I replied to the bogus post asking if it's still available, to see who responded.

Here's some screenshots I took this morning. My post has the pictures.

What would you do? How far should I look into this?

 

[Jojo205]

Craigslist is one of the sketchiest websites for selling stuff on. I love it, but it’s always been weird lol. I have no idea what their motives are for doing that, maybe try responding to theirs (without letting them know you own the original post)? Or flag/report their post. I don’t know anything about the craigslist algorithm but if there is one based on who gets the most replies, this could be a way to get replies because they say there are pictures then there aren’t any- so the people are more likely to respond? I really have no idea lol, that’s really weird.

 

[BigManAquatics]

I look at CL every so often, sometimes i have noticed posts like this. Not hard, rarely more than 20 or 30 postings for half the state it seems(including the ones for a boat or semi's when i type aquarium).

But seeing as i have never purchased, sold or posted on CL, don't really know what your next step would be. I just know there is always people out there jealous of everyone else and will do anything to troll/screw someone over.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Craigslist is one of the sketchiest websites for selling stuff on. I love it, but it’s always been weird lol. I have no idea what their motives are for doing that, maybe try responding to theirs (without letting them know you own the original post)? Or flag/report their post. I don’t know anything about the craigslist algorithm but if there is one based on who gets the most replies, this could be a way to get replies because they say there are pictures then there aren’t any- so the people are more likely to respond? I really have no idea lol, that’s really weird.

I hit reply immediately, just to see if there was a number, there was none just the CL relay. I just generically asked if it was still available. It's such a low priced thing, I can't imagine why someone would go through that for nothing? I see scams all the time for all sorts of things but this one's just weird.

There's a youtuber I've watched before, has a series called "you're bad at Craigslist " I've actually sent in submissions and he's featured them on his channel, lol. I apparently have a knack for finding CL weirdos, lol

I look at CL every so often, sometimes i have noticed posts like this. Not hard, rarely more than 20 or 30 postings for half the state it seems(including the ones for a boat or semi's when i type aquarium).

But seeing as i have never purchased, sold or posted on CL, don't really know what your next step would be. I just know there is always people out there jealous of everyone else and will do anything to troll/screw someone over.

Yeah, CL is a mixed bag for sure. It didn't used to be so bad with scams, just weird people, but now it's more scams than anything. If I dare add my phone number to the ad I'll get scam calls/texts forever. I do email first, then exchange numbers once I weed out fakes.

 

[MrBryan723]

If you've sold plants to people in your town, they might have had something happen and just need to get rid of the plants and don't want to toss them and might have been previous customers of yours. Or... it's a scam trying to get phone #s

 

[SterSter]

I would just let the problem fix itself.

If it is fake eventually people will stop wanting to buy from them and business will go back to you.

Since it is a small town that you live in I believe people will be smart enough to realize that their post is a copied version of yours.

You should go ahead and take JoJo205’s suggestion and reply to them to see what their motives are.

If they are sus then go ahead and report them.