South Carolina Attorney General Cracks Down on Craigslist

South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster sent CraigsList.com, the popular online classified site, a letter to the site leaders giving them 10 days to remove all illegal content and prostitution ads and if they don't comply they will face prosecution. McMaster claims the people that run the site knowingly allowed the site to be used for illegal and unlawful activity after warnings from law enforcement officials and after an agreement with 40 state attorneys general.

Craigslist made a deal late last year that involved them obtain a 'working phone number' and a 'valid credit card' for anyone who posts an "erotic services" ad. To this date, they still have not complied as they have failed to beef up their safeguards.

"Recent national events, along with ongoing law enforcement efforts in South Carolina, indicate that Craigslist has not installed sufficient safeguards since November to prohibit the Internet site from being used as a vehicle to advertise or solicit prostitution" the letter to the leaders of the site said.

Craigslist has until end of day on May 15th to remove the portions of the Internet site dedicated to South Carolina and its municipal regions and which contain categories for and functions allowing for the solicitation of prostitution and the dissemination and posting of graphic pornographic material".

Craigslist was sued back in March of 2009 for "failing to prevent offers to trade sex for money".