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One Michigan mom found her baby up for adoption on Craigslist. Credit: ABC News
You never know what you will find on Craigslist.
It could be an exciting new career opportunity, a beautiful antique rolltop desk, a dangerous criminal -- or your own baby.
First, Philip Markoff of New York was arrested in April for allegedly using the online classified ads to lure and attack three women. One of the women was murdered.
Now Craiglist is back in the news again.
The couple has a WordPress blog that they use to keep family and friends posted on various goings on, complete with family photos. Jenni Brennan told ABC News that she received an e-mail from a woman informing her that Jake's photo was being used on Craigslist for the bogus adoption ad.
The woman said she had fallen for an adoption scam allegedly run by St. Theresa Conception Parish and was asked for $300 to process the paperwork.
ABC News reports that Brennan fired off an angry e-mail after finding the ad posted in the childcare section for London under the heading "Cute baby boy ready for adoption." She told ABC News she never heard back.
However, when she created a fake e-mail account and posed as a potential adoptive parent, she was e-mailed her son's photo.
She contacted the FBI and Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and has restricted access to the family blog.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
8-10-2009 @ 1:09PM
SWIEHN said...This is the very reason I do not post pictures on the internet!
You never know how someone can use those pictures...and the info that is with them.
Reply
8-10-2009 @ 8:45PM
prettynisi9 said...I totally agree with you 100%.
8-10-2009 @ 3:17PM
Glenn said...So someone downloaded your kid's picture from your family site and is using it for a bogus internet scam. About the only criminal act perpetrated on you is copyright infringement. Your kid didn't get hurt, you didn't get hurt, it's no big deal. The people using your kid's picture are obviously scumbags but all you need to do is call the cops and have them arrested for the obvious internet scam.
There are legitimate reasons to fear putting personal information on the internet but this isn't one of them. A scumbag could have been at the park when you and your kid were there and taken a digital pic and the same thing could have happened. Are we going to stop taking our kids to the park and zoo because that COULD happen? No that would be silly.
Reply
8-10-2009 @ 4:08PM
Inger said...I disagree with you on many levels, glenn.
If ANYONE had taken a picture of any of my children and used it for ANY purpose it is a big deal. I don't care if it isn't technically illegal, they are my children and I don't want their image associated with anything I haven't already approved of. It is becoming more and more common for people to misuse children's phots on the web (I have several friends with blogs who have found their children's photos used in other sites without their permission).
Maybe it wouldn't bother you for your 3 year old daughter's photo to be god knows where on the internet, but it certainly would bother me.
*steps off soapbox*
8-11-2009 @ 6:06AM
ninainindia said...I agree. The headline is wrong too, the baby was not up for adoption, it was just a scam with a stolen photo.
8-11-2009 @ 11:28AM
blah said...i agree with you
10-07-2009 @ 1:29PM
Carrie said...You obviously do not have children! I would be outraged if someone was trying to sell my baby online rather it be a fake thing or not! That is scary and dangerous!
8-10-2009 @ 6:38PM
Glenn said...I read on "Parent" or "Mother" sites all the time about how people are so busy these days and have no time for their kids and no time for work and no time to relax and... Well, I could go on but I think you get the point. Many people would find their lives to be much much easier if they just worried about things that are within their control. Keeping my son safe and happy, UNDER MY CONTROL. Stopping criminals and scumbags from ripping people off, NOT under my control. Making sure I AND MY FAMILY do no get ripped off by criminals and scumbags, UNDER MY CONTROL. Keeping people from putting a leash on their autistic kid, NOT UNDER MY CONTROL.
Tell me Inger, someone downloaded your daughter's pic and is using it in some perverted way and you find out about it. If it's not posted on the web or used in public, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? I would really like to know.
My son is healthy, happy, safe and one great kid. I work on raising him and keeping him safe. I can't stop perverts from taking his picture with a telephoto lens at the park, but I can make sure perverts do not have access to him, to a great extent. He has before and after school care. He does not go to the restroom in restaurants alone. I will go with him to protect him. I put pics of my family up on the web to share with family and friends. I DO NOT let everyone see them, just people I designate. Worry about things you can control and life will be much more peaceful.
Reply
8-11-2009 @ 12:21PM
glornobl said...I think that as parents we should do our best to protect our children, but there are things that happen. I have pictures of my children on certain sites that require a password to get into, but we always have these computer savy people that can get any of our information at any given time. I never post my address, state, or phone umber on any of these sites, even with a password. I hope as parents we would be carfeul about what pictures that we post of our families. Glenn, I totally agree with you, we do not have control over certain things. how can we get angry with someone using your childs picture. When you make it public it is up for grabs, even if you do not make it public it is still a chance that a person will get your childs picture. Be smart about what you post and keep in mind that you do not have control over what other people do. As long as your children are safe with you at home, the pictures that are posted on protected sites cannot be contolled, unless you do not post pictures at all of your children.