Fun with Classified Ads

June 19, 2009 11:22 AM

Emails from an Asshole: "This is a collection of e-mails I have sent to people who post classified ads. My goal is to mess with them, confuse them, and/or piss them off. These are the ones that succeeded."
posted by freshwater_pr0n (27 comments total)

Truth in advertising, on his part. He really is a spectacular asshole.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:27 AM on June 19, 2009 [3 favorites]

Does what it says on the tin.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:27 AM on June 19, 2009

Yup. Look away.
posted by CynicalKnight at 11:27 AM on June 19, 2009

I read the first one about the fake paralyzed kid, and it's not funny. Not at all.
posted by jabberjaw at 11:27 AM on June 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

Hmm, this is no different from the usual responses I get when I try to use Craigslist.
posted by porn in the woods at 11:27 AM on June 19, 2009 [2 favorites]

There's a fine line between clever and stupid.

In this case, it's more like the berlin wall.
posted by jenkinsEar at 11:28 AM on June 19, 2009

Christ, what an asshole.
posted by lemonfridge at 11:29 AM on June 19, 2009

I laughed at some of them. I'm...not a good person.
posted by infinitywaltz at 11:31 AM on June 19, 2009 [4 favorites]

I put on my robe and wizard hat.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:33 AM on June 19, 2009 [6 favorites]

It's about time someone took the average person who has placed a classified a down a peg!
posted by turaho at 11:33 AM on June 19, 2009 [19 favorites]

"From Mike Anderson"

Stopped right there.

(Wife's deadbeat dad)
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 11:34 AM on June 19, 2009

I read a couple more. I have a crap sense of humor, and laugh at some pretty rotten things. But taking advantage of people on a visceral level isn't funny to me. This is almost the equivalent of going to a stranger at a bar, threatening to kick his ass in front of his girlfriend, then going back for high-fives when you tell your friends how scared he looked.

Agreed, porn in the woods. There's no shortage of assholes on Craigslist without his intentional misleadings, and there's no need to add to the fodder.
posted by jabberjaw at 11:36 AM on June 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

The world really needs this stupidity? You wanna fuck with people, fuck with people who are in power and are craven and ruin real lives.
posted by spicynuts at 11:39 AM on June 19, 2009

The thing is that it's funny when people taunt "I HAVE 10 MILLION DOLLARS IN BANK" scammers, because those guys are trying to scam other people, and it's their just deserts.

And it's somewhat funny when people hoax corporate public relations folks, a la Don Novello's Lazlo Letters. Because those people are getting paid to answer mail, so it doesn't ruin their day to answer fake mail.

This, on the other hand, is a really petty and narcissistic violation of the social contract. The folks who are placing the ads are just trying to live their lives, and he's fucking with them and then preening himself on it on the Interwebs.

I am tempted to fuck with him to see how he likes it.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:40 AM on June 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

I thought they were hilarious. Thanks for posting this.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 11:41 AM on June 19, 2009

There's a fine line between clever and stupid.

True. And there's a yawning chasm between clever and aggressively mean-spirited.
posted by googly at 11:42 AM on June 19, 2009 [2 favorites]

People, get a sense of humor. The first one, I'll admit, was poor taste, but the kid looking for a car was funny.
posted by sswiller at 11:42 AM on June 19, 2009

About half way through scanning them I started to get the feeling that they were made up . I can't believe that people would continue to engage so long with such an obvious loon/troll.

did someone post here something similar about a party invite?
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:43 AM on June 19, 2009

I am tempted to fuck with him to see how he likes it.

Links or it didn't happen.
posted by rokusan at 11:44 AM on June 19, 2009

This person is a refugee from:

[x] Usenet
[x] Adequacy
[x] Kuro5hin
[x] 4chan
[x] Second Life
[x] World of Warcraft
[x] The entire Internets
posted by localroger at 11:44 AM on June 19, 2009

flagged
posted by leotrotsky at 11:45 AM on June 19, 2009

Meh. Not funny to me.
posted by shino-boy at 11:46 AM on June 19, 2009

I am tempted to fuck with him to see how he likes it.

Links or it didn't happen.

I am tempted, but also busy. And lazy. And have been way too cranky for my own good lately (not just here!)
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:47 AM on June 19, 2009

I couldn't get into it. He was too mean. I'd prefer it if he strung along some of the obvious scams on Craigslist, rather than people who only wanted just a little help. He's messing up a resource that's only as good as the users make it.

The mefite page (IIRC) JackassLetters.com is better. He writes up corporations, large organizations, and celebrities; namely, institutions that have the facilities to deal with crank letters efficiently. Much better than screwing with busy 20-somethings who need help moving into a new apartment.
posted by mccarty.tim at 11:49 AM on June 19, 2009

I flagged this and considered just moving on. But you know what? I gotta say, I come to Metafilter to learn stuff, engage in conversation, find a little piece of joy, have a laugh, connect with other humans, read about great topics, find links to share, get a pick-me-up, watch videos, play games, and feel good. This post does none of those things. This is not the best of the web. Sorry, I just had to say. Moving on to go find the funny now...
posted by iamkimiam at 11:50 AM on June 19, 2009

craigslisting
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 11:51 AM on June 19, 2009

I put on my robe and wizard hat.

Oh man, I totally forgot about those IMs. Does anyone have a link to those, they made me laugh so hard. These email exchanges in the link also make me laugh, although I am ashamed of myself for it.
posted by Falconetti at 11:55 AM on June 19, 2009