Craigslist Email Form

[kate]

Is anyone else troubled by the form which must now be completed to contact an advertiser on Craigslist? At first I was unable to complete the form because I wasn't sure of some of the answers. Now that I have a better idea of the answers, I am appalled that they seem to be asking for the password that I use to pick up my mail... and even on a non-secure connection.

I have seen these little forms in the past when attempting to respond to someone's website, but decided I didn't need to send the email. Craigslist is another matter. I hate to be unable to use it.

Am I seeing the situation correctly?
Thank you.
Kate

 

[DADoES]

 
I don't have a CraigsList user account, but I pulled up a couple ads just now, and the ReplyTo link on the ads does NOT bring up a contact form. It's coded as a HTML mailto: link that opens my mail client (Thunderbird) for sending to a coded/obscured CraigsList address that I imagine they forward to the seller's registered address. No questions/answers required.

Maybe there's a different contact method if one is logged-in with a user account.

A contact form as you describe that asks for a password not *directly* related to use of the site involved ... I'd close it and run away.

 

[launderess]

I've Gone Through It

Not huge deal.

Needed to move stuff out of my house so put up a few CL adverts within the past weeks and was surprised by the email form.

What happens is CL requests certain information including a contact telephone number. You are then reached and need to "confirm" Once it's over you will have a "password" number to be used in future with your account.

FWIU this has been done to crack down on some of the fraud and criminal activities going on with CL. It also means CL has something in it's files to turn over to LE or the courts should something go down.

If you aren't doing something that you shouldn't there is little to fear. Ebay asks for far more information.

 

[kate]

Thank you very much for your responses. I believe we are talking about three different things.

My problem may be exclusive to Calif, for now. When I click on the coded Craigslist response address, a little form pops up asking for my type of email acct (POP), my email address, the incoming server address and my password. When I give it a newly-created password for the Craigslist relationship, it spins for a while and tells me it can't connect. The form is not on a secure connection. I can't find an explanation on their website, or get thru to them by phone. I believe this procedure is only a few months old. Interesting that you didn't run into this in Texas.

I did place an ad myself six or seven months ago without this type of intervention, though that may now have changed. I believe they have always asked for email address and phone number, sent a preliminary ad for approval, with form to use to cancel the ad. Was that the same for you, Launderess?

If they do demand my real email password, I may have to open a separate account with separate password.

 

[DADoES]

If the response links on which you're clicking are the typical HTML "mailto:" links, then that simply opens what is the default e-mail client local to your computer (Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, Eudora, etc.).  Many people nowadays use web-based e-mail -- HotMail, GMail, Yahoo, or even the webmail access to their ISP-provided mail service rather than properly setting up the account in a client program -- and thus don't have an e-mail client configured on their computer. 

 

Sounds like what's happening is you don't have an account set up accordingly in the default mail client on your computer, and that program upon being started (by clicking the link) is (of course) asking for the setup parameters (incoming protocol [POP3], server names, password, etc.) for an account so it can be used.  If so, that's *nothing* to do with CraigsList, it's a local setup procedure on *your* computer.   HTML mailto: links don't work with web-based mail services being as there's no way the link can be coded with *which* service to open.

Assuming you do not want to set up a mail client program on your computer, then copy the link on which you're clicking ([email protected] for example), log onto whatever mail service you use and paste the addy into a new message composition.

 

[kate]

Problem Solved!

You hit the nail on the head, and I can't thank you enough. I have been using an online site to send and receive messages since before getting this computer, so I never set up the email program. It's also my first Mac so things look different. Kind of hilarious, actually, but I'm glad to be able to communicate at Craigs again.

I had tried the copy and paste routine a few times and, for some reason, that didn't work. But all is OK now. It's great to have access to such talent!!!