How do I know if my Craigslist ad was flagged?

Craigslist makes it super easy to post items and sell stuff but you need to be careful how you present your post to keep it from getting flagged. Here's everything that you need to know.

Jul 10, 2019

If you suddenly stop seeing replies of a certain posting, it may be because someone flagged it. While it may be impossible to know the exact person who flagged an ad for removal, you can know if your ad is flagged. This makes it possible to review it and create a new ad that is compliant with the terms and conditions of Craigslist. If your ad does not violate any of the site's terms and condition, it cannot be flagged.

About Craigslist Flagging

Craigslist depends on its users to moderate their content. When viewing an ad, you will always see an option to flag it at the top right. You may flag an ad if it appears in the wrong category, if it contains prohibited content, and if it is posted to frequently. The Terms of Use ensure that Craigslist users do not post offensive or inappropriate content. Anyone can flag your posts just like you can flag anyone's posts. Your posts may be flagged if they contain content that is harassing, defamatory, invasive of privacy, or pornographic, or misleading.

How to Know Your Ad Has Been Flagged

Craigslist sends you an email notification if your ad has been flagged. After the notification, you will realize that you can no longer receive replies about the posting. It is then up to you to identify the reason why it has been flagged.

Even though Craigslist does not allow you to speak to whoever flagged your post, it allows you to review your post. The site is always fair. If your post is compliant with their Terms of Use, attempts to flag it won't be successful. Craigslist understands that your competitors may maliciously try to flag your post.

Follow these steps repost an ad that has been flagged.

1. Click on the button 'My Account.'

2. Enter your Craigslist account credentials. If you do not use an account, check your email for the message you received from Craigslist when you published the ad

3. Go through the ads that you published in the past 180 days.

4. Click on the name that is shown next to the text 'Flagged.' If you are checking it through your email, click on the link in the email and you will be directed to a page showing the current status of your ad.

5. Re-read the Terms of Use of Craigslist's and review your ad. Re-word the content to ensure that it does not violate the Terms of Use.

6. Repost your ad.

Tips to Avoid Flagging on Craigslist

The primary goal of Craigslist is to host advertisements for the local community. There is a different domain for every city. It, therefore, requires you to post only local ads. If more than 5% of your visitors are flagging your posts, you are doing something wrong. If more than 10% flag your post, it is definitely going to be flagged. The following tips may help you to avoid being flagged.

  1. Ensure that your IP address matches the area you want to post
  2. Avoid posting offensive, racist, or discriminatory content
  3. Always post your ads in the right category
  4. Do not post an ad too often from the same IP
  5. Look out for competitors who may be flagging your posts
  6. Do not use special characters on your ad title

If you need help with your Craigslist posts, you should contact the customer support team for help. The best way to contact Craigslist is by phone. You will be contacted to an agent who will help you establish why your account is being flagged. Otherwise, these steps should help you know whether your Craigslist has been flagged.

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Adam has been tirelessly trying to help customers find the best tips and tricks to get through phone trees and writing many guides for prickly customer service problems. He's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Inside Edition and Bloomberg.
How do I know if my Craigslist ad was flagged?

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