5 Reasons Why Freelance Writing Job Ads are Flagged on Craigslist
Craigslist has a reputation for being a haven for scammy types. The truth is, it’s no less scammy than other job boards. In fact, with its flagging system many of the scams are dealt with in a swift and efficient manner. There’s a problem, though. Because of the same flagging system, a lot of the good opportunities disappear too. In fact, many of the jobs flagged on Craigslist aren’t even scams at all. Some are terrific opportunities but are flagged for a variety of different reasons.
Many of the freelance writers who use this blog network to find work each day express disappointment when they see a gig that’s right up their alley only to click and learn it’s been flagged. Most automatically assume it’s a scam. The truth is, the Craigslist flagging system is flawed. While the intentions are honorable, any old Joe off the street can flag for any variety of reasons and after three clicks the job is out. No one really comes back to check to make sure legitimate opportunities aren’t receiving flags.
Before writing off an employer or a gig as spam or a scam, consider some of these reasons why freelance writing jobs are flagged on Craigslist.
1. They’re Scams
There really are scams and spammers on Craigslist. For example, anyone who tricks you into clicking a residual link for a writing site is a spammer. Anyone who tricks you into thinking you’re applying for a job, when you’re really being directed to a paying site, is a scammer. Writers SHOULD absolutely flag unsavory leads.
2. Someone Else Has Made a Decision for You
Many writers flag jobs they don’t approve of. For example, I know of one writer who flags jobs paying under $50 because she doesn’t feel writers should be paid less than that per article. I know of another writer who flags anything from residual sites because he doesn’t approve of them. These writers are flagging based on their own beliefs and experiences, even if those experiences aren’t the same for everyone.
3. Competition Flagging
Sometimes a writer doesn’t feel confident enough to compete with others for a job and will flag a gig several times over so it will be removed and other freelancers can’t apply. It’s not that it’s a bad gig, it’s that the other writer doesn’t want anyone else to be considered for the job. Confident freelancers shouldn’t be afraid of other writers applying for the same opportunity. If you’re the best fit, you’ll land the gig regardless of the competition.
4. They’re in the Wrong Spot
Sometimes ads are flagged becasue they’re in the wrong place. For example, if an accouting or Virtual Assistant gig is in the writing section many people will flag. Many times non-paying opportunities are flagged because they’re considered volunteer opportunities and should be classified as such.
5. Disgruntled Writers
Sometimes ads are flagged because disgrutled writers want to make it more difficult for their ex-clients and employers to hire other writers. They feel they’re hurting this client by not making the opportunities available to other writers.
Have you ever flagged a freelance writign job listed at Cragislist? If so, why? What are your thoughts on some of these practices?
I’ve flagged two ads on Craigslist. One was clearly a Work At Home scam (one that I’d seen before). The other was for an academic content mill. I tend to stay away from the flag button, as I have better ways to occupy my time.
Yes, I’ve flagged countless ads that want writers to work for free, which is against CL’s terms of use.
Yes, I have. Ads that are clearly scams, have affiliate links, lead to bogus sites wanting you to pay to look for work, or send follow-up emails with the same junk in it get ‘the button’.
Craigslist is now asking people to report the affiliate link postings. Not sure if everyone has seen the new page that appears before you click through to the writing jobs listings yet.
oooh, that makes sense. I was wondering about this the other day. And no, I haven’t flagged anything. But I suppose if I come across something that’s obviously a scam, I would probably flag it.
I flag stuff all the time when people post unpaid jobs in the “Jobs” rather than the “Gigs” section. If a company that I e-mail replies that their “paid” position is actually unpaid, I forward the e-mail along with the link to the posting at abuse@craigslist.org. I may actually take it further than other people and deliberately apply to a suspicious looking job just to get that e-mail. I consider it a service to my fellow writers.
I don’t agree with flagging low pay positions simply because they are low paying. I may not apply to them, but if the ad meets the payment criteria of Craigslist it technically should not be flagged. That doesn’t mean I agree with the practice of paying $10.00 per article, but you have to play within the CL rules.
I flag all ads that violate CL’s terms of use. CL is scammier than most job boards because the ads are free in most markets.
In my city, most of the ads listed under Gigs are not gigs, the definition of which is “work for pay.” People who wish to share their schemes and dreams (e.g. get paid when my movie/novel/play becomes a financial success) should not post on a job seekers board. Anything involving commissions is not a writing gig, although I usually don’t flag such ads. I do flag the ads that are repeatedly posted, because they constitute SPAM (a violation of TOU).
Hello:
I actually do flag CraigsList ads fairly often, but almost always I flag for one of two reasons: I flag a non-paying writing job in the writing job section, or I flag a job that seems not to be in any way a writing job. When I flag for these reasons, I always choose “miscategorized” as the reason which should indicate to CraigsList that the job is simply in the wrong place.
I had to revisit this topic with the posting I just found:
Freelance Magazine Writers Wanted [my city listed, probably in yours, too]
We are looking for talented writers [link] who can write 400-600 word non-fiction articles on (almost) any subject(s) they want. As one of our writers you can enjoy the freedom to write what you want, when you want and earn a competitive income off your articles over the lifetime of your career – even if you decide to stop writing for us.
Accepted applicants will be assigned a professional editor who is dedicated to helping you maximize your web writing skills and garner the most exposure for your articles. With over 20 million monthly readers, our writers enjoy a huge – and growing – audience.
Writing for us provides you with the opportunity to:
•Put your work in front of millions of monthly readers
•Build your writing portfolio and enhance your profile & reputation online
•Receive feedback and guidance from an established network of professional editors and writers
•Earn competitive income plus productivity bonuses
Please visit our website to learn more and APPLY NOW [link].
I flagged it as SPAM, because it has all the hallmarks of a phishing ploy. Anyone who is anonymous and tries to lure you to a Web site is unlikely to be a legitimate business. At best, it’s a content mill trying to disguise its over-advertising. Any business that won’t provide its identity and creates a potential security risk is unethical. Such ads need to be flagged. Flaggers protect would-be victims and discourage the behavior of phishers, SPAMmers, and scammers.
Sounds like there are times when flagging these ads are necessary. But I hate to hear some writers flag ads because they don’t meet their pay criteria or they want to knock out competition or hurt their past employers.