It's becoming a real hassle to offer sex for money on Craigslist, apparently. At first sex workers just had to think up a euphemism for prostitution, like "FULL EROTIC EXAMINATION" or "naughty sweet treat" or the cryptic "GFE" or the almost sweet "delightful relaxing time." Then, earlier this year, they had to have a working phone number, and listings dropped 80 percent. Now, under pressure from attorneys general in 40 states, Craigslist is going to require "erotic services" providers to pony up $10 for each listing, and pay with a credit card, which the police will be able to subpoena. The sex workers are already complaining, via NSFW ads. Law enforcement authorities say their real targets are pimps:

San Francisco U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello said his office regularly sees Craigslist ads in cases it brings against human-trafficking rings that engage women in prostitution. Craigslist is "very important" to the prostitution business, he said, both for prostitutes to find clients and "for pimps to recruit new members of the stable."

As onetime Valleywag contributor Melissa Gira Grant wrote elsewhere, this will probably push some hookers into more dangerous venues, like the streets.