"You're looking for a cheap couch. A vintage lamp. Maybe a free dresser." But the person on the other end of the message isn't cleaning out their garage — and the address they gave you isn't a home.
In this spine-chilling episode of Grief — Volume 2 of our Craigslist Horror series — we present three allegedly true stories of online marketplace transactions that took a terrifying turn.
Story 1: "The Free Dresser" – A woman responds to an ad for a free dresser in a quiet suburban neighborhood. When she arrives, the seller asks her to wait in the dimly lit basement while he "gets the screws." She notices the walls are covered in photos — all of her, taken from different angles, over several weeks. She runs. Her car won't start. The last thing she hears is the seller locking the basement door from the outside.
Story 2: "The Piano" – A family finds a beautiful antique piano for $50. The seller insists they take it tonight — no questions asked. When they bring it home, they find a handwritten letter taped inside the back: "This piano sat in my mother's house for 30 years. She died in this room. She never played." That night, the piano plays itself — only songs composed after her mother's death.
Story 3: "The Gardener" – A man hires a landscaper from Craigslist to clear his overgrown backyard. The landscaper arrives at 6 AM, works silently, and finishes by noon. But the clearing reveals a 4x4 concrete slab that wasn't there before. When the man asks about it, the landscaper says: "Previous owner's pet. Buried it there. Shouldn't have mentioned it." The man calls the previous owner — who says: "We never had a pet."
Dramatized but based on real Craigslist incident reports, police blotters, and firsthand accounts submitted to horror forums. No graphic depictions — just the slow, creeping dread of realizing you've brought something into your home that was never meant to leave. Turn off the lights. Put on headphones. And always meet in a public place. Press play — if you dare.