Craigslist is one of the foremost places for job searches, but I have found that among the scams, there are also Craigslist/Backpage Human Trafficking advertisers.
Please allow me to explain this. As many of you know I spent a few years living in the Philippines, and I have tried to help the Philippine people avoid scams by providing information on outsourcing scams.
Craigslist and Backpage Job Opportunities
Craigslist and Backpage can provide a lot of opportunity to those seeking work in some of the less affluent countries, but it also can present a real danger to those just trying to make some money for their family to survive.
In this article, I am going to examine the real dangers of applying for work on Craigslist, and other online advertising sites like Backpage.
Below is a real email exchange that I had a few months back with what I believe to be a real human trafficker.
I had intended on writing an article about Human Trafficking, and had even started the draft, but did not get around to finishing it. Now with the current scandal, it made me realize just how huge the problem is with Craigslist/Backpage Human Trafficking
I updated this post March 27th 2021. There is more information at the end of the post. BTW, nothing ever became of Pizzagate, but I am leaving the section in this article.
What is Pizzagate?
For those of you that have not heard of Pizzagate, I am going to give you a brief summary of this term, but please bear in mind that currently this is still being looked at, and there are many conspiracy theories floating around social media.
Pizzagate started with a connection to Comet Ping Pong Pizza, and an alleged pedophile ring being run out of that establishment. This was discovered by Wikileaks exposing the emails of John Podesta, and a an email file found on convicted pedophile Anthony Weiner’s laptop seized by the NYPD.
Although there are a lot of “conspiracy theories” floating around on this topic, the real investigators have admitted that there is still a lot of information to be discovered before any definitive conclusions can be made.
Then there are “fact check” sites like Snopes (proven not credible) that are declaring it is all one huge conspiracy theory, and there is absolutely no truth to it. How can anyone claim something to be totally false when the investigation is admittedly not complete by the real investigators?
Whether or not Pizzagate is real, the fact remains that human trafficking does exist, and they are using sites like Craigslist and Backpage to lure their victims.
Human Trafficking is Real
When most of us in industrialized nations think about human trafficking, we often think that it could never happen here, but the fact is that it is a very real threat no matter where you live.
I am from Ohio, and State Senator Rob Portman has been fighting human trafficking for a number of years. Senator Portman is the founding co-chair of the Bipartisan Senate Caucus to End Human Trafficking. It is noted that over 1,000 children a year are victims in this ever growing crime in the State of Ohio alone.
Senator Portman has gained a lot of ground in his legislative efforts to curb advertising via mandating advertiser screening processes on sites like Backpage and Craigslist. This is a great start for combating human trafficking on Craigslist and Backpage.
Human Trafficker Email Exchange
I did not copy the original ad, as I really thought nothing about it at the time; with the exception of maybe a pervert asking for young women.
This was my reply to the advertisement:
If you are from the U.S., those requirements you list are illegal. I am a P.I. from the U.S. living in the Philippines, I see this all the time, stop trying to scam these people!!
This was his response, my thoughts are in red, and please note that I only copied his replies, I did not ad to them, or correct mistakes:
Who are you? What do you think this is an offer for? Be honest and tell me, why you THINK/ASSUME that this is a scam? Has someone close to you been lied to? Randy Baith, He used my name, this is a psychological intimidation tactic used by scammers.
I want to let you know only one thing……………Everything is 100% legit and the reason behind all the necessary information gather is to find WHO CAN FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS, nothing more nothing less. Nothing that was asked was illegal and nothing that is being offered is illegal, unless you think that way. Maybe a PI in the USA living in PI is scammer himself. I will have you checked Mr. Randy Baith and I will see what my contacts in the USA have to say and I will make sure you I have everything the FBI/S2 can give me on you. Thank You Randy Baith. Again, he used intimidation tactics, this tells me that he is really up to no good.
My reply:
It is clear to me that you already know who I am, but that is okay, I have nothing to hide, and all you have to do is Google my name.You on the other hand clearly do because you failed to identify yourself, or your company (if there really is a legitimate company).
You cannot legally ask personal questions as a recruiting requirement. In the US that can be considered discrimination. Things like race, religion, age, sex and sexual orientation are not questions that you can ask of potential job candidates. Your ad reads more like a personal search rather than a job ad.
Your threats of going to the FBI do not scare me, I have friends there also, and I was trained by FBI agents. What I am doing in the Philippines is not your business, but I do get real tired of people from other countries scamming these poor people. If you are seeking a woman or other for your own personal pleasure, I suggest you at least do it the honest way.
I checked you out, and you have done a great job of disguising your identity, but further research is not worth my time. You used a phone number (529- 531- 4487) that is no longer valid, or you have gone to great measures to hide your identity from it .
I can also tell by your grammar that you are not a native English speaker, and you do not qualify for any advertising, or H.R. position in the U.S. Any legitimate company or person would be transparent about who they are, their company, and their name. Great job!! Mr. Scammer,
His reply:
For a PI your an idiot! Now the name calling and attacks on me begin. I did however call him a scammer, this only triggered him to insult me, not prove me wrong.
I’m going to ask you to behave, your an adult……….Randy Baith……..behave! LMAO!
Your going to save the Filipino people and render me a scammer cause I’m offering a job that allows people to better themselves in the USA. Your going to flag the ad cause I won’t adhere to your line of reasoning…….shut up!
How do you know I don’t have a company in the PI, YOU SMART “PI”. You don’t, and how do you know it is a scam, as obviously I have better Intel than you do and can bring up your data when ever I want. Maybe just maybe this is legit and your a MORON!
Only Randy can save the Philipinnes from the trifling Americans, and only Randy has the authority to control who gets visas and jobs and chances in life……..you self righteous fuck! I’m being fair and allowing everyone that wants to apply apply and weighing each individual fairly, but your standards are better than others, cause your assumptions are LAW!
I hope who ever you talked out of applying for the job was more qualified than all the rest of the applicants and I pray that what ever stupidity you brought upon them holds them back and crushes their ambitions and destroys there resolve to ever be better than what they are……cause the defender of all that is right in the PI, is a “PI”. Good luck Randy and maybe for a few seconds you should think about how all Americans look at you being over there enjoy cheap beer, cheap women, cheap living, and cheap morals……..cause when you come home to the USA and show off pictures to your friends in the back of their minds they are always going to think your a sick piece of shit, and you know I’m right!
First, he has no argument, and will not address my questions like any reasonable businessman would. He then reaffirms my suspicions by the way he describes Filipino’s. The fact that he mentions I am trying to “save” all the Filipinos is a big red flag, and really had me thinking this guy is a human trafficker.
Now I play along and try to get him to reveal himself:
Hahahahaha, you’re too funny, You are able to gather information on me because I have nothing to hide, unlike you. Also, if you really did any research on me at all you would know that I have a beautiful wife, and I do not drink. You would also learn that my”assumptions”about the law are correct, ask any Attorney.
If you were a legitimate businessman, you would have nothing to hide, but again you are not worth my time at this point. I am not out to “save” anyone. You would also know that I just plain hate scammers and thieves, so prove me wrong, what is your business? Please give me a link. Matter of fact, what is your name? You are hiding, and that is evidence enough for me outside of your illegal “job” requirements.
As far as me flagging you, it takes more than just a few flags to get your ad dropped, so clearly I am not the only one that sees through your scheme. My phone number here in the Philippines is +63 0917-344-6912, please have your FBI buddies call me.
Lastly, behaving like an adult, I am not the one using foul language and hiding behind CL anonymity.
His reply, and again, he uses my name, but never gives me his.
Randy, I was reading your dose´today talking about your right wing swing!
Oh, my, you are a crusader aren’t you. The devil is behind ever bush and trolling through the neighbor hoods looking for innocent children and only RandyMan can save them. What is up hero! (He just described himself, I never accused him of looking for children)
I like this Randy I really do……..If you don’t have any thing to hide than reveal yourself……..Tell me who you are! Dumb ass (I already told him, and it is clear he knows who I am)
I bet your a bible thumper too, the whims of the catholic religion there in the PI, Mr. PI.
OH Randy…….fuck I’m going to make a song about you, it will be on the internet——-YouTube——–maybe Randy, Maybe…….
The irony in what you are saying is that nothing of what you saying is original. NOTHING……I bet you watch fox news and stuff your face while your “beautiful” wife does all the house work. Internet marketing………Oh Randy……….Pipe dreams.
So here is some bread crumbs, my little Columbo………The only way you will find out who I am is if I walk right up to you and smile and say hello. By that time Randy I will have known and seen everything you do and made it very clear that asking some one to deliver there information that is clearing in there “CV” is not illegal. Oh we forgot that in the PI there is no such laws (he is wrong, link to the Philippine law) and I am not advertising in the USA nor am I am hiring in the USA (he just contradicted himself). We are paying for and buying only the passage while allowing the individual to start their own company contracting themselves out to us utilizing a 1099 contract in the PI Mr. PI. Everything else is being handled in the PI. And yes lawyers Randy are extremely important………Thus the reason I have many of them……..but you randy and your pipe dreams of buying the 7K square foot house will never beat 2K square feet. Ohio Randy.
Yes, he did research a little about me, but not enough. The above paragraph gave me clear certainty that this guy is a human trafficker. Passage to the US for a better life? It does not work that way. American companies cannot just hire people from the Philippines the way other nations do.
Now he goes on: We should update our info and be honest and tell people where we really are in the PI shouldn’t we or you too are a lier. I bet you went over there thinking that YOUR smart American brain was going to save a village and with God on your side you were going to accomplish what millions couldn’t……..Oh Randy. my social inept Randy.
You really believe the bullshit on your webpages and on your videos and even your own mind. OH Randy!
I’m in your head………cause your going to write back to me aren’t you Randy………come on Randy answer this email and tell me everything I want to know Randy………..Keep explaining to me everything about yourself and explain to me everything I want to know my simple Randy! More intimidation tactics diverting from the real issue.
My reply:
You really are funny, but pathetic. Don’t you have anything better to do besides write essays of insults to me that have no effect Mr. scammer? Like I said, if your ad got removed it is not because of me, it does not take a trained professional to see you are a pervert scammer trying to lure young girls (or boys) to God only knows where.
If you are legit, then you would have revealed your business to me long ago. You also did not just ask for a CV, you were screening for possible victims. Prove me wrong PLEASE!!
His response, complete with more intimidation insults:
So this is my last email my white, redneck beard growing Randy!
I hope you find what you are looking for and hope that saving one person is what you do. Unlike you I have a serious business and I will never let the competition know that I am looking for a personal assistant. (As if hiring a personal assistant is a trade secret, and he was looking for more than one) As you probably have never had one, they are to be trusted with some very important information and very instrumental to the companies growth and organization as it grows. You were wrong about it being a scam and regardless of if you were right I was giving everyone a chance to apply while I send all candidates to a Filipino firm to vet and screen each and everyone of them. The pictures were matched with there face books page to see if they were telling the truth and sending recent photos,
CV’s were so we could have them cross checked with employers and see if they were real or if they were lying, but you knew that……cause I bet you actually hired foreign works to come to the USA and provide them B2 visas to work directly for the Chairmans. I have 257 interviews in Thailand and another 87 in the PI. I also have a few military bases to visit as some of the best recruits for a job like this come from the military and police, but you know this and if you knew how to do a proper search for candidates in a foreign country you don’t let them know about the multi-million dollar business so they can find ways to get in. you want them to think of everything as a rich white guy needs a personal assistant and nothing else. But you know this!
This guy is a total liar, I am thinking he must think I really am that stupid to think things work that way.
The other thing is I asked for the info to see if they were compliant and obviously I was right cause 90% of the people that applied on CL could not even follow the simplest of instruction which lead me to believe they were seeing an American dream rather than in a Trusted position. Again you know this cause your simple mind deducted it with reasoning and foresight. Regardless of what you think Randy your a moron, you will never be convinced that your an idiot but truly you are the reason why America is falling apart……so business believing that only your way is the right way and than conforming as things change and than trying to justify everything you do by explaining. Now he thinks Filipinos are stupid as well, of course, they are cattle to him.
Ironically Randy if you had the intellect to read through my emails you would have understood that through out them I told you everything about me. Small subtle messages that you never picked up….cryptic signals and even suggested terms but you obviously are smarter than me and still can not decipher the simplest of satire or sarcasm. Everything I wrote would have lead you to my direct location and who I was. Your a freaking idiot. This paragraph is about deflection again. He actually gave me nothing, and why would a real businessman have to leave clues and cryptic signals? Also at this point, I could not trust anything he said.
a bit more Colombo “FBI”, “Intelligence”, “I know where you are at”, God help who ever hires you bro cause I know my company would rather go bankrupt than to have you on the case.
Be good my simple helmet wearing Randy and may your beautiful wife (code for average) satisfy you til she takes everything from you! Again, assuming all Filipino women are gold diggers and whores.
later Negro! Now he is a racist also
My reply:
Really? Why are you so angry, and why must you call me names? Oh, that’s right, it is what libs and scammers do when they are caught in lies and deception.
If you really were a respectable businessman, then you would not be hiding. Furthermore, you would not be trying to justify your actions to me. A professional would never call anyone names, and they would gladly provide any information that is requested. You say that you left me subtle hints as to your location, that is a lie and a professional would not do that either.
I never said “I know were you are at” that is another lie, or is it a “subtle” threat to me? That would be the second one you have made. If I knew where you were then I would not need to be asking you for a link to your “legitimate” business. Maybe I am not the only one calling you out on your scam and you are a bit confused. A true business professional that is as as busy as you claim would not even have the time to write lengthy explanations, much less take the time to do it.
I pray that you are caught because I sincerely believe that you are involved in human trafficking.
Conclusion of Craigslist/Backpage Human Trafficking
That was the last I heard from him, but it was clear to me that he was engaged in human trafficking.
We are finally fighting it here in the U.S., and it up to all of us to identify and report these things.
It is now March 27th 2021, and in a page update I would like to say that knowing what I know now, I do not think that guy was lying about having people in the FBI to come after me.
Also, the video below is now “unavailable”. It was a documentary with truth. We are in dangerous times right now, and I pray for the children. We currently have a crisis at our border. Joe Biden is not recognizing it as I write this update.
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