Police Share Useful Tool to Help Idaho Combat Latest Housing Scam
When I first arrived in Boise from Texas, I was told by new employers (who brought me to Idaho!) to be prepared for the crazy housing market. Little did I know exactly how true that was. It almost seemed that within minutes of sending in an application for a home, I would be notified that the property was no longer available. It was insane!
I felt like I was looking everywhere I could from websites to postings on Craigslist. I recall thinking and telling my fiancée how great some of the deals looked on Craigslist but again, several of them were unavailable within minutes. In hindsight, I’m somewhat thankful we didn’t go that route.
Ada County Sheriff’s Office is warning locals about a dangerous scam that can not only hurt your money but also leave you with nowhere to go!
It’s insane to me that scammers are willing to risk it all and pose as real estate agents on official sites like American Homes For Rent. As a consumer, this is terrifying because unless we constantly live in paranoia, you wouldn’t think anything otherwise. By posing as these real estate agents, the scammers obtain access to the lock codes which is essentially their bread and butter in all of the scams.
Even more alarming? Ada County Sheriff’s Office says that they found nine fraudulent listings on Craigslist that were also listed on Amerian Homes For Rent.
No matter how desperate you are, or how dire the situation is, take the time to do your research.
Ada County Sheriff’s Office shared this useful tool where you can verify the property you’re looking at before you proceed with any sort of transaction.
You’ll also want to be on the lookout for any sort of suspicious questions in the rental process. Can you spot which of the renter requirements below are true or false?
Boise Rental App Questions That Will Make You Question Reality
Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas
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Gallery Credit: KEVIN MILLER / KIDO Talk Radio