anyone who uses craigslist?

Some things are real, yes - but you must use good judgment when answering ads - be extremely cautious.

I have gotten a couple of modeling gigs from there and when the theatre group I was with was looking for actors, they put an ad up on craig's list as well as other places.

To be honest, most ads just don't feel right to me, but there are some legit ones, too.

*Anything that says it has a registration fee is crap. It's a scam. Don't bother.

*Ads with a lot of misspelled words, poor grammar, or slang - stay away from. They are not professional.

*Ads that don't give you any real information about the job - where, when, what it is, what is required, what the compensation is - stay away from. They are almost always shady. They don't give you info because they don't want you to know.

*Ads that want someone "sexy" - always creep me out. Most of the time they fit into the other categories of ads to stay away from, too.

*Ads that don't tell you who they are - stay away from.

*Ads that want "open-minded" "creative" or other words that could imply something shady or not just a straightforward photo shoot, I would be wary of and avoid. Especially if they don't say in what way they mean you to be "open minded" or what they mean by "creative."

*Ads that state right away they want someone 18 or over - *shudder* those creep me out and they usually feel like they imply something other than a straight forward photo shoot. Sometimes they give you age ranges for characters someone who looks 18 - 24 or 40 - 47 - something like that may be different as part of a description. But when it just says 18+ it makes me think nudity or something sexual is involved.

*Just read through the ads and you will start to sense what seems not right and what feels sort of okay. You can always e-mail for more information - without sending them your pictures or personal information, though they will have your e-mail address.

*Do your research. You can search for their company or their name - ask around - see if anyone else has had any experience with them. If people have had negative experiences with them - obviously avoid them.

*If you're going to go for it and take a job or go to an audition and you're not familiar with the person or company running it. Always tell other people where you're going and always take someone else with you. If anything doesn't feel right at the audition - just leave.

So I guess the long and the short of it is.... Yes, there are some legit notices for actors and models on craig's list. Sometimes they are few and far between - but you never know. Use plenty of caution and common sense and don't go against your better judgment. It is much better to be safe than sorry.

EDIT: theatre-gurl is right - modeling agencies do not post over craig's list. The modeling gigs I did were for people who needed pictures for either their portfolios or for advertising... mainly costumes and bridal stuff. The Shakespeare Theatre has advertised on Craig's list (I remember that posting). And I have also seen postings from a well-know casting agency in the DC area on there as well. The key is to always use caution.

I personally would not reply to any of the "modeling" ads on craigslist. I don't think there so much scams as predators. Especially be wary of any ads looking for models who are "open minded". I think a lot of these ads are looking for girls who are willing (or you could be putting yourself into a position where your forced) to do sexual things. All of the legit commercial and fashion modeling, at least in my area, is done through agencies. There's no "indie" modeling like there is in film.

There have been legitimate acting notices. You just have to be smart. The legit ones will give plenty of information about the project (plot summary, character breakdowns, maybe even a website link), auditions, the people behind it, etc.

For any of these projects, you can always email them and ask for more information. Also, bring someone with you on auditions. If anything about it makes you feel unease, just don't go

I got some of my first film projects from Craigslist (a lot of MFA student filmmakers will use Craigslist to post casting notices when completing their thesis films). Even the renowned Shakespeare Theatre posted on Craigslist when they needed to find a 13 year old Indian boy for one of their productions.

So, like any other public forum (this one included) there are posts that are legit and useful and there are those that are total crap. You just have to be smart enough to know which is which.

I am a casting director and have posted on there. For every project I post on actorsaccess, Now casting, Backstage, local sites, and Craigslist. Yes a good percentage of the projects listed there are scams but you need to sift through and learn how to recognize the ones that are legit. Often if there is a link posted to their website they are trying to sell their services, if they claim to be casting for the current top TV shows ( even if it is only for extras) they are not real, if they post the amount of money you will be making and do not mention if it is a union or non-union project they are not legit. There are numerous other obvious things to look for. However, as someone who believes that Craigslist is a great way to spread the word about castings when I am looking for new talent, I would hate for actors to stop using it simply because of the larger percentage that are not "real". Yes, it is true when I am casting a union show I do no use Craigslist because then I am simply going through agent submissions, but other wise it is just another great resource.

PLEASE READ: I have not had any experience as far as acting or modeling goes. BUT let me tell You something about safety:

Any time you are going to meet somebody new, request that they fax (or mail if you have the time) you copies of their driver's license and car registration. Also get them to give you personal information. Then you give all this stuff to a trusted friend, along with the date, place and time that you are meeting the "stranger." You tell your friend that you will call them every hour on the hour letting them know that you are okay. If they do not hear from you (so you must be prompt in calling them) they are to call the police and turn all that information over to them. Then you tell the person that you are meeting to do the same thing. If the person is on the up-and-up then they won't object to doing these precautionary measures!

Beware and take care.

yeah I bought a lot of stuff from craigslist. but before yu make a deal make sure you check the item or items physically before buying of another person. Also get that persons information for record keeping just in case you buy something that may have been stolen you can report that person. Some people that sell stuff make good deals and all is worth it. Let me suggest never to buy gift cards off craisglist because most of them are stolen and generate a amount on a card for less than they sell to you for. Just be carefull

I think craigslist is like any other "advertising" resource.

The items for sale I would compare to any newspaper want ad section . When you get down to the personals section like the Modeling ad you are talking about of the causal connections looking for friends etc., it's caveat emptor, buyer beware.

I don't put much faith in them.

That's INSANE! I hope to God it was a joke or a scam by someone trying to solicit money. This person should be tracked down and DCS or the attorney or SOMEONE needs to find out what happened to the baby! craigslist should have her email address.

I have sold a house, motorcycle, and gotten 3-4 jobs from craigslist...

I think it is a great site although because of its public nature there is the seedy side of it with scams and such. You just have to contact people about what the service is and use your judgement

If you want fact, read up on how many girls get raped and murdered by falling for things like that. Any LEGITIMATE modeling agency isn't going to be posting on CRAIGSLIST to find models. Think about it.

My sweetheart used craigslist to find a room mate,it was a good choice for him too.