Scammers Target Potential Home Renters
Last year, I was helping a friend search for rental properties for her family. We searched local property management sites, Zillow, and Craigslist. While I was checking out ads on Craigslist, I noticed that one of the homes looked exactly like another friends home. I opened the photos and read the description a little closer and it was!
It was in the price range of what my friend was looking for so I called her to ask if it was still available for rent and that I had someone very interested in it. She had no idea what I was talking about. I thought maybe it was an old ad, so I went back to look. It was posted two days prior. My friend had not posted that listing and grew very concerned that interior photos of her house were on this listing.
After some digging, we noticed that the phone number and contact info was not familiar. It was a scam!! Someone had stolen her photos and information from a listing she had posted to Craigslist well over a year before. We contacted the number and pretended to be interested in the home. They sent over a rental application and ask for a deposit to hold the home while we waited for the keys.
There were SO many red flags in this situation, but sometimes it's easy to fall for them.
My friends scam was very similar to a scam that KTVB recently shared. (HERE)
These new scams are even scarier though. Pay attention to the red flags that they share and make sure you or someone you love doesn't become a victim!