Craig's List Ad for Personal Trainer, or Pilates Trainer, or Nanny ... What-ever

At a colleague's suggestion, I decided to place an ad on Craig's List. I wanted to advertise my Pilates Home Studio. I shared a few photos, used my general location, and posted under the "lessons and tutoring" section.

Craig's List was completely automated and user friendly, so I finished my ad fast, uploaded it, and then received a confirmation email. Silly me, I didn't even notice the bottom instructions from Craig's List: It was Safety Tips and Avoiding SCAMS.

I would love to share with you just a few of the many emails I received in response to my ad. I am pasting them here. I did not change a word!

1. from mywayne101

Hello,
 I will like to know if you can be taking my daughter your lesson.
Thanks

2. king.georgesly103

Kindly let me know if this lesson ads is vacant for my son. email back asap. Regards

Sent from my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

3. arianna59ok wrote
Hello, How are you, can you take my Son you lesson perfectly while am at work?

To this one I responded, "Yes, I can." Just for kicks. Not a word from arianna59ok yet.

4. this one's a lengthy one from Mr. Wilson

Hello There.
   I was checking on craigslist and i came accross your post. I'm Aaron Wilson and My wife's name is Emily Wilson. We are relocating to your neighbourhood from England. I recently got a contract with a company on a private research job with minimum of two years contract and possibility of extending the contract. However, I need someone who will help me to take care of the house by doing some house work while am off to work. Someone that will also help in running some errands or babysitting.

I will be offering you $500 weekly payment, i will be needing your services for 6 hours at any suitable time of yours, Tuesday and Saturday. If you believe you are fit for this position in as much you will prove yourself to be a reliable, responsible and good person, I have a financier that is based in the States and he will be handling the payment and some other expenses. I will instruct him to pay for the first two weeks before my arrival so as to secure your service.

My financier will be making out a check to you before our arrival, you will be receiving an overpayment bank check which you will deduct your pay for the first two weeks and you will be using the remaining to buy foodstuffs, art galley, home appliance and other things needed in the house. You will be getting this foodstuff on the day of our arrival which will be the 20th of Next month. Actually our flights from England will arrive at nights so you will be getting the foodstuff in the morning and making all other preparations.

I just bought the house and as soon as all the paper work is finalize and i will instruct my estate agent to mail the keys of the house to you so that you can do all other necessary preparations before we arrive, I will also email you the shopping list after you received and cashed the check okay..

You have to get all this shopping before our arrival so that we wont have to start running around when we arrive, So my financier would be needing the following Information to make out the check.

Full Name:
Full address with zipcode & Apt Number:
Age:
Gender:
Phone number:
Acceptance of offer:

All I need from you is total honesty and sincerity. I know you will be committed to the work, You will also have a nice period of time working with my wife. I will be waiting to hear from you.

Regards,
Aaron Wilson

I have a response ready for Mr. Wilson, but have't emailed it yet:

Hello to you too.
I have a better idea. How about I pay YOU $500 per week to do your wife's training and errands? Any children in the family? Because if there are, I can also happily babysit, anytime day or night. As a matter of fact, why wait? Why don't you and your family come stay at my house until your sale goes through. Send me your personal info and I'll send you the keys.Mi casa es su casa.
At your service!

5. This is the last one I will share. It's from Debra James

Thanks  for getting back to me, my name is Debra James . I live in
Birmingham (UK) but I'm moving to your area soon because I'm having  a
contract with Agency For Toxic Substances &  Diseases Registry  in
United State. So i will appreciate  if you can teach  my daughter
your lesson while I'm at work in your city, we will arrive on 18th
Mar.
        The Agency  are responsible for all payments including the
lesson fees and their mode of  payment is by cashier check/certified
check it will be delivered to you via United Parcel Service (UPS) or
FedEx.
        You don't have to worry concerning how she will be coming to
the lesson venue,  i made all necessary arrangement for all her needs
and also negotiate with a Cab Company that will provide her the Cab
and driver that will be driving her to the lesson venue and driving
her back home after the lesson.
I will want you to get back to me with  the total charges of
(1Hour in a day)
(3 days in a week ) for 4 weeks...
I'll need you to provide me with the following information to
facilitate the mailing of the check...
    Name to be on the payment__________
    Home address __________
    City __________
    State __________
    Zip Code __________
    Cell phone #__________

Thanks

Debra James
Nechells Park Rd,
Birmingham,
West Midlands B7, UK

Brilliant Ms. James also pasted a link to the agency she mentioned in the body of her email. Well then, she MUST be for real. I'm emailing her my social security number. 

To sum it up, I would NOT recommend Craig's List as a method of advertising a pilates trainer. As much fun as I had reading some emails, I ended up wasting my time. Luckily, Craig's List takes unpaid ads down in seven days, so at least I saved a bit of time on that end. I just let my ad expire. I'm so smart!

Stand Tall!