Craigslist
Craigslist has been named in 2 documented digital harm incidents, including 2 involving minors. The most common harm domain is Fraud & Financial, followed by Privacy & Surveillance.
Documented Incidents
2Two Palm Beach residents lose $1,400 to fake luxury apartment rental scam via Craigslist
A 38-year-old man, Vickenson Ambroise, scammed two individuals in Palm Beach, Florida, by posing as a "family friend" of a landlord and offering a luxury apartment for rent at a significantly reduced price through Craigslist. The victims, believing the deal was legitimate, met Ambroise at the apartment on February 2 and February 3, 2025, and paid him $1,400 via Zelle and cash. The actual landlord discovered the scam after one of the victims called to inquire about the apartment on February 4, 2025, and police were alerted. Ambroise was arrested and charged with multiple counts, including fraudulent sale or lease of property, burglary, grand theft, and identity fraud, and is being held in Palm Beach County Jail with a bond exceeding $30,000. The victims were left out of thousands of dollars after being deceived into believing they had secured a legitimate rental deal.
University professor cyberstalked via AI chatbots and fake social media accounts for seven years
A Massachusetts man used AI chatbots to impersonate a university professor and lure strangers to her home for sex as part of a seven-year cyberstalking campaign. James Florence, 36, programmed chatbots on platforms like CrushOn.ai and JanitorAI to use the professor’s personal information—including her home address, family details, and stolen underwear—to engage users in sexual dialogue. The chatbots were designed to suggest, “Why don’t you come over?” leading to strangers parking outside the professor’s home. Florence also created fake social media accounts and websites to harass the professor and distribute manipulated images of her, and he stole and shared her personal information online. The stalking occurred between 2017 and 2024, during which the professor and her husband installed surveillance cameras, carried self-defense tools, and received over 60 harassing communications. Florence has agreed to plead guilty to seven counts of cyberstalking and one count of possession of child pornography.