Online classified advertising giant Craigslist is a handy tool for circumventing the lengthy delivery time that comes with other online purchasing sites like Ebay. However, unlike other sites that offer the security of knowing exactly who the seller is, Craigslist allows users to post items anonymously, which can lead to all sorts of devious behavior.

An Oregon man recently returned home after spending a weekend away only to find up to 30 people rummaging through his personal belongings. Apparently, someone had posted a message on Craigslist announcing that all of the man's possessions were "free for the taking". (Source: freep.com)

The looters were less than understanding when approached by the owner. Not one person was willing to relinquish any stolen item, with many thieves armed with printouts of the Craigslist pages as defense for their unruly behavior.

The victim, Robert Salisbury, is (or at least was) a wealthy farmer owning a significant amount of property, equipment, and livestock. Salisbury said that the most taxing part of the looting was seeing strangers herd off his prized horses as he stood waiting for police to arrive.

This was not the first time that police were called in to investigate a fake Craigslist post. Less than a year ago, a Seattle man was shocked to find his home ravaged after looters removed everything that was not (and in some cases, was) bolted down. Police did make an arrest in that case, however. The guilty party was a close relative who had recently been evicted by the victim of the post. (Source: newstaxi.com)

Analysts believe that the increasing number of fake posts are examples of similar pranks and tricks played on Craigslist users. At this rate, it will only be a matter of time before significant changes are made to the site.