A white French glass door opens from the living room area into the small kitchen. ), "The pictures you saw on Craigslist are the exact pictures of the apartment inside. "One common scenario is that the scammer pretends to have been transferred suddenly for work," according to a BBB alert earlier this year. Just fine, I thought. Once the prospects realize they've been scammed, the scammer has usually vanished with their money. In this video, Dustin Brohm, a Salt Lake City Real Estate agent shows how to spot a rental … Of course, the person in the apartment management office in Detroit couldn't understand why someone would put a deposit down before seeing an apartment or think they could get a studio for $625 when it would normally go for $750 or more in that area. "Oh sorry! The newest feature on CL is EV charging. To spot a Craigslist Scammer. Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face to complete the transaction. If you're suspicious of a listing, go to the Craigslist for a few other cities and search for the same title or wording. He spotted a one-bedroom apartment with attractive wood floors on Willis Street, nicely priced at $625 a month. If the seller requests payment abroad through the likes of Western Union or MoneyGram, it should appear fishy. These can be homes for rent or homes for sale. It requires very little effort on their part," Blankenship said. Scammers try to "get your money before you find out" that the apartment or home they're listing isn't really for rent, according to an alert from the Federal Trade Commission. As you’re hunting for your next house or apartment to rent, look out for these red flags to help avoid future rental scams.. Are you being scammed? The owner or person subleasing the apartment is out of state, or maybe out of the country. The dirty Detroit deal involved a statement by the con artist that he'd "only send the approved lease agreement at the right time.". Scammers often prey on first-time apartment renters, long-distance movers and those who aren’t internet savvy. "Some times the realtor inflates the price and it takes longer to get the right Tenant so because of this reason and more i decided to do it on my own," he responded. "I think this is a rather common scam, unfortunately," said Laura Blankenship, director of marketing for the Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Michigan. And if you don't mind a brisk walk, you could get to the "DIA, The Detroit Science Center, The Detroit Public Library while you enjoy a mocha latte from Great Lakes Coffee.". Western Union, Money Gram, cashier check, money order, Paypal, Zelle, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee." How I Fell for an Awful Craigslist Rental Scam and What I Should Have Done Differently. If a seller encourages you to send a down payment or any form of money before receiving your item, this is a strong indication that they are trying to scam buyers. She said a quick review of local BBB data showed about 30 reports of rental scams here. This is particularly common with real estate and rental scams. The Listing Photos Have an MLS Watermark. Back at the Detroit apartment building, the scammers appear to have tried to rent the same apartment a few times. Craigslist plainly states, "Anyone who asks you to do so is likely a scammer." Cybersecurity can be critical during any real estate transaction. Arnold emailed me a rental/sublease application — before I could see any lease — which requested a "reservation payment method" or a "bank deposit/transfer" if I wanted to reserve the unit. The money is required upfront. When the victim clicks the link, a scammer-operated redirection server sends the victim to a credit score company and includes a referral ID. If you are a renter, how can you protect yourself from falling for a rental scam? To make you think that, well, maybe you had some sort of shot, the fellow texted that I would have the "right to terminate our agreement upon arrival and i will refund your deposit payment immediately, if you find the unit in an unanticipated form or dissimilar to the pictures you saw on Craigslist.". An eye-catching red-white-and-blue pillow perks up a modest light gray chair. He was in Arizona and couldn’t show the house. I only learned this name after agreeing to have an email sent to me with this "rental/sublease application." When you’re apartment hunting, your focus is typically on finding a great new place in a neighborhood you like.While you may not be on the lookout for a scam, keeping your eyes open for a potential fraudster is in your best interest. As part of my so-called apartment search, I did drive down to the apartment building on Willis Street. How to spot a Craigslist scammer. The lack of a screening process is enticing to these renters. "That person is not connected or associated to our company or property," according to an email from Eastwood Management. "I came across a house listed for rent that happened to be on the same street as a friend of ours," Blankenship said. By Dr. John L. Reizer Editor at NoFakeNews.net Have you ever been lied to or cheated out of something that was very important to you at a particular time in your life. People who own houses with an EV charging station are not the ones posting their million dollar villas for $100-350/night at Craigslist. Read more on business and sign up for our business newsletter. Do not send money before a rental screening, it is quite possible you are part of a Craigslist rental scam. ", "If you are willing to proceed," he answered quickly, "you gonna text me your email address so i can forward you the Rental Application Form which you will have to fill and send it back to me.". Email or text from someone that is not local to your area. And he wasn't working with an agent or property manager. The couple had been communicating with a scammer, not the real landlords, according to the rental office. No one, of course, was handling this deal for him. Whether your Craigslist addiction is severe or recreational, we’ve all come across deals that seem too good to be true. 2. (I'm typing the exact wording — including words that are capitalized and aren't — to give you a complete picture here. I responded. I texted the person offering to sublet the apartment. But how to tell a Craigslist rental scam is not as well known. Once they have the money, the scammers disappear. They may have poor credit, no rental history or bad references. One of the quickest ways to spot a fraud is when you receive an email that doesn't use a Craigslist address. Actually I moved out of town due to the nature of my Job and this is the reason i'm renting out the apartment till my return back to Detroit in a year and a half," according to the guy who texted me back. For example, a tenant who's vacating his apartment might decide to show it, pretending to be the landlord. Kyle Hiscock gives us some great tips to, There may be a time and place to use a house flipping company to unload your house. We prepared an ultimate list of tips that will teach you how to spot a rental scammer while looking for a perfect place and we’re ready to make a real homegrown renting expert out of you. The 36-year-old woman went on Craigslist calling herself Sarah Goldberg and told several people she had an apartment to rent, provided lease agreements to some of them, and took security deposits and rent from them. The Better Business Bureau warns that when it comes to apartments and home rentals, con artists will lift real photos and descriptions stolen from other websites. Did you like living there? "As soon as we can have the lease agreement signed i'm gonna mail you the key via FedEx overnight delivery so you get it the next day," the text read. On any day of the week, you can find hundreds of local listings that include apartment and home rentals, cars for sale, concert and play tickets, jobs, and every conceivable secondhand item you can think of. According […] She and her husband ran across an online scam, too, when looking for a home closer to Southfield. Craigslist scams are unfortunately pretty common, so it's important to be extra vigilant if you want to buy a car from a seller on Craigslist. You're going to be asked to pay a deposit or application fee without seeing the terms of the lease or the actual property. Tewksbury Real Estate. By Elise Torres. Most landlords want to know who is living in their home. Do a reverse image search of some of the listing photos to see if they are being used elsewhere. An 18-year-old woman was arrested in Berea, Kentucky, on charges that she stole $1,600 in a rental scam there, according to news reports there. Pets are even allowed for an additional fee. If you’re looking for your next rental home, these tips may help you spot and avoid common rental scams. The building itself does exist — and there are people living in it. Follow her on Twitter @tompor. Other versions of rental scams involve disclosing details like your Social Security number early in the process. It’s always a good idea to right click on an image in a Craigslist post and “Search Google for image.”. There are several other Craigslist scams out there that you have to watch out for when using the site. Poor grammar/spelling. 2. Maybe you were the victim of a serious crime such as robbery, identity theft, Internet fraud, or … Rental scam #1 – the cloned listing. Your email address will not be published. Suspected Craigslist scammers are posing as locals and posting ads selling cars. I do know that many people are falling for Craigslist rental scams, as well as similar scams on other online sites. ", "In the apartment?" Report fraud: Do your part to protect your property and other landlords’ by letting Craigslist know when you spot a fishy rental ad. A few minutes later, he texted: "How are you doing baby?". "What time will someone show us the studio?" With the proliferation of free and paid rental sites, more and more rental scams are hitting the market. "While researching the house further, I found that the house was actually listed for sale on another website. One couple came some time ago to look at the building convinced they had a good deal, according to someone who answered in the apartment building's rental office but declined to give his name. Check them out to get an idea of the language scammers use. Every month 157 million people use sites like Letgo, Offerup, Craigslist, Ebay and more to buy or sell just about anything imaginable. Massachusetts Home Values, how an investor can be scammed while purchasing an investment property, pro and cons of using a house flipping company, Learn how to keep your data safe during a real estate transaction, Cape Cod Home- The Original American Cottage. They will create a listing, make the rental sound amazing, offer it at a very low price, not require money upfront, and so on. I'm not usually one to text with scammers but an apartment rental deal in Detroit's Midtown had me intrigued. Google the address and see if the home is currently for sale or in foreclosure. He never answered that question. It’s better to avoid a potential scam than to be scammed. He might lead all prospects to believe they're getting that apartment and collect fees and security deposits upfront. The grammar on those texts or emails is out of whack. December 28, 2017. You can find multiple listings for the apartment… in different cities. How to Tell if a Rental is Legitimate During the summer months, the scammers come out swinging so be aware. A few things to out for when buying an ATV or Dirt Bike on Craigslist HOW TO SPOT A SCAM ON CRAIGSLIST 2017 Scammers are worse than ever before. If wanted, he said, I could "go ahead and view the apartment environment. This is one of the most popular Craigslist rental scams, perhaps because it’s so cheap to execute. We're talking about an adorable apartment that's fully furnished, all utilities — gas, electricity and water — included in what some call the North Cass neighborhood. I told you," he said in a snarky text. Below is an example of a Craigslist rental scam. If the rental listing's photos sport a watermark – which is used to identify the owner of the photo – look closely. Know who is signing the lease as the landlord. He, of course, was no longer in Michigan. No chitchatting about Midtown's tacos or tapas. No apartments were even available in late August when one of these Craigslist ads ran. 4. Craigslist rental scammers copy and paste information and/or pictures from legitimate listings. I asked him the square footage of the apartment. This is how some rental scammers try to lure you in and an easy way to know how to spot a scammer on Craigslist. Online rental scams exist, of course, because many apartment and home searches do begin by researching specialty websites. The apartment is within walking distance of some of the cooler Midtown spots, according to the online description, including Avalon Bakery, the Shinola Detroit Store, Selden  Standard, La Feria Spanish Tapas and Alley Taco. Scammers want to get you off the site before anyone notices the fraud. Here are 9 ways to spot a rental scam on Craigslist: How to Tell If a Rental Is Legitimate. (Craigslist did not respond to emails from the Free Press about this listing.). Scammers even sell boats as wheelchair accessible. That’s how they got photos of the house’s interior.". I mean who couldn’t use a little extra money and it’s also good for the environment. It should be no surprise that con artists are figuring out ways to game the system and rip off consumers with fake deals. So, how do you know if you’re getting scammed on Craigslist? What Is The Difference Between A REALTOR And A Real Estate Agent? One possibility of many could be that the property is a ‘bait and switch’, or that the owner is using it to lure in potential renters before suddenly taking it off the market and replacing it with a similar, more costly, unit. , how do you do way to know who is signing the lease the. 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