When Former Good Helpers Go Bad

 

Craigslist, Flag Forum - At what point do we as helpers/Peanuts stop ignoring this person, and start being proactive in protecting the craigslist community from the abuse this handle dishes out on a daily basis. 

Most of us long term helpers just ignore that handle, "do not engage or answer" is the philosophy of many of us Peanuts.  History has proven that if you engage, this handle will just lite into you with a vengeance while justifying their attack. It is your basic, "I know you are, but what am I." type of reply mainly. Strawman, and gaslighting is the norm for this handle. Again, many of us just do not engage as it seems to accomplish nothing, and is not preventing or compensating for the actions of this handle. 

While most of the hateful things this handle says are akin to childish school yard behavior, this time it appears this handle has crossed the line into what very well may be criminal behavior. 

The above screenshot is accompanied by this copy/paste with URL of the offending comment this handle made in reply to someone engaging them in the flag help forum. Please note that this handle does not only act this way in the flag help forum, but in the feedback forum, and help forum of craigslist. 

That would be my Fan Club! < HelpfulHedda > 2025-11-22 15:45

You are welcome to masturbate in public but ... funny? Not.

https://forums.craigslist.org/?ID=338625568

While my opinion is that this is illegal, here is what the internet has to say: 

Encouraging the act: Encouraging someone to commit an illegal act, such as public masturbation, could lead to you being charged with a crime, potentially including conspiracy or solicitation.

Potential legal consequences: Depending on the jurisdiction, you could face misdemeanor or felony charges, fines, and/or jail time.

Again, at what point do we stop ignoring this...

Fixxer's Pick of the Day - LIVE IN BABYSITTER AND GIRLFRIEND

This ad was found in the CLSouth Bend >housing >rooms & shares category. Basically they seem to want a sex slave to keep the house, do all the domestic house work....everything including sex. 

Shout out to South Bend Indiana......smh

  

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Posted 3 days ago

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LIVE IN BABYSITTER AND GIRLFRIEND

© craigslist - Map data © OpenStreetMap

room not private

apartment

no private bathroom

laundry in bldg

off-street parking

All I want is a LIVE IN BABYSITTER AND GIRLFRIEND. I have 2 kids, almost grown. I have a single dad roommate who has 4 kids shared custody.
You cook, clean, raise the kids, do homework , drive them around. You must have a car that we all use.
You share MY bed as a girlfriend. You can't have friends in my apartment or go out without me. I'm not home much, work and hanging with friends. Place to live for free and sex. Why not?

post id: 7867636705

 

posted: 3 days ago

 

updated: 3 days ago

 

♥ best of ^[?]

Avoid scams, deal locally! DO NOT wire funds (e.g. Western Union), or buy/rent sight unsee

Fixxer's Pick- My Spider Needs to get Laid

craigslist - You just can't make these things up. This poster needs to get her spider a quick girlfriend for a happy ending, before his final ending. Tiny terrifying baby spiders may result...

(Plenty to click on below, had to "edit Hedda", real peanuts will understand.)

Flagging system misunderstood post < qztarant > 2025-07-15 14:43

It's not a stud service, there's no money or anything exchanged. My tarantula hit that stage at the end of his life where he's wandering and looking for mate. He's stressed out and if someone has a female he can mate with that would be nice enrichment and someone else gets babies.

t's not like I'm renting out a dog as a stud or something. It's different for tarantulas. And the section is full of people selling tarantulas for full retail price, not to mention full litters of pure bred cats for full price. I don't see why my ad was targeted for deletion.

Please don't pearl clutch in the comments if you're outside the invert hobby. Lop

title of ad : Mature Male Orange Baboon Tarantula Looking for Love (West Seattle)

sea Flagging system misunderstood post < qztarant > 2025-07-15 14:43

: . . Ahem < HelplessHedda > 2025-07-15 14:55-150+1

: . . : . . post ID < qztarant > 2025-07-15 15:04

: . . : . . : . . You tried to sell an enclosure in pets < HelplessHedda > 2025-07-15 15:12-700+1

: . . : . . : . . It can not be offered for free. < TheFixxer > 2025-07-15 15:18+3

: . . prohibited... < TuesdaysHandle > 2025-07-15 14:56-2+12 link

: . . "no stud service" < TheFixxer > 2025-07-15 15:01-3+4

: . . Thank you for pointing out other prohibited < Sayfoo > 2025-07-15 15:13+2

: . . People that hate spiders are doing it. < Dr__Beeper > 2025-07-15 16:18-1+4

Fixxer's Updated Help-List for Pet Ads on Craigslist

1. Rehoming Fees Must Be Transparent and Justified

   A rehoming fee is intended to recover costs incurred while preparing a pet for adoption, such as vaccinations, neutering, or microchipping. Always specify the fee amount in dollars ($) in your listing. On craigslist, pets cannot be traded, as they are not considered commodities for buying, selling, or trading.Per Craigslist guidelines:
   "A small adoption fee may cover expenses like vaccinations, neutering, and microchipping. Please clearly state the fee amount in your post."Note that listing a fee does not guarantee you’ll recover all expenses. Your community may flag your ad if they believe the fee is too high, unjustified, or appears to disguise a pet sale (e.g., if the fee is not clearly listed).craigslist prohibits pet sales, animal parts, and stud services, but allows rehoming with a small adoption fee. Posts violating these rules may be flagged, as outlined here:
   "Prohibited on craigslist: pet sales (rehoming with small adoption fee is acceptable), animal parts, stud service. Please flag postings that do not follow these guidelines."
2. Clearly State Fees in the Ad
   Always include the specific rehoming fee in both the title and body of the ad. Phrases like "rehoming fee applies" are insufficient and may result in flagging due to suspicion of a disguised sale.
3. Free Pets Require Clear Language and Screening Details
   If rehoming a pet for free, include the word "Free" in both the title and body. Specify the steps you’ll take to ensure the pet goes to a good home (e.g., home visits, reference checks, or adoption questionnaires). This demonstrates responsible rehoming and reduces flagging risks.
4. Age Requirements for Puppies and Kittens
   Puppies and kittens must be at least 8 weeks old at the time of rehoming. Stating "will be 8 weeks on [date]" is not going to work, as it may suggest intent to bypass craigslist rules or state laws (e.g., California’s pet sale age restrictions). Verify local laws, as some regions may have stricter requirements.
5. Post Pet Adoption Ads in the Correct Section
   Pet adoption/rehoming ads belong in the "Community" section under "Pets." Posting in other sections (e.g., "For Sale" or "Services") is miscategorized and may lead to flagging or removal.
6. Pet Services Go in the Services Section
   Ads for pet-related services (e.g., pet sitting, grooming, training) must be posted in the "Services" section under "Pet Services." Posting these elsewhere may result in miscategorization and flagging.
7. No Animal Parts, Blood, Fluids, or Breeding Services
   craigslist prohibits ads for animal parts, blood, fluids, or breeding/stud services for any household pets, including dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, rodents, amphibians, or fish. Such ads will be flagged and removed.
8. No Pet Sales Allowed
   Selling household pets (e.g., dogs, cats, primates, birds, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, fish) is strictly prohibited on craigslist. Only rehoming with reasonable, justified fees or free adoptions are allowed.
9. Rescues and Shelters Must Follow the Same Rules
   Rescue organizations and shelters must adhere to all craigslist pet policies, including transparent fees and proper categorization. Over-posting or repetitive ads may lead to flagging for spamming. Limit posts to avoid overwhelming the platform and ensure fair use.
10. Further Information on "small fee" craigslist permits a “small” rehoming fee for pets, but the term “small” is vague and often debated extensively in forums here. What’s clear is that readers have firm expectations about these fees, regardless of the pet’s vetting history or where it was done. They generally accept small fees that reflect recent veterinary care necessary for rehoming, such as vaccinations or spaying/neutering/chipping. Claiming a fee to recover costs from past treatments, like “$1,700 for Sparky’s hip surgery last February,” is unlikely to be well-received, even if not explicitly prohibited by Craigslist’s guidelines. Readers are quick to spot inflated or unjustified fees and may flag such ads. You may also not charge for vetting to the pet's mother. The fee is to only cover the pet being rehomed. Advising posters on specific fee amounts, like saying $50 or $500 is acceptable, risks crossing into subjective territory where only craigslist flaggers can decide an ad’s fate. However, it’s reasonable to share insights about what readers typically find acceptable based on experience with pet rehoming ads. craigslist is not a platform for necessarily recouping all expenses spent on a pet. On this site, pets, whether a mixed breed or a pedigreed French Bulldog, have no monetary value. The platform was designed for giving pets away, not selling or trading them, with the allowance of a modest fee to cover vetting costs. When craigslist specifies a “small fee,” it does not mean recovering every expense incurred. Readers understand this and expect transparency and fairness in rehoming ads.
11. Disclaimer These helpful guidelines are my own. These are not endorsed or created by craigslist. Just like all help in flag forum 3, this is my interpretation of the rules, and my opinion on what works for pet ads. None of the help you receive in flag help forum 3 guarantees your community will accept your ad.