Is someone in your family looking for a new place to live? Or perhaps they're trying to rent out an apartment or house?
If so, you need to know about a slick scam targeting renters and landlords...That could leave you out hundreds of dollars or more.
Hey that's not my Ad!Bethany Freeman showed me the large, beautiful 4 bedroom home she is trying to rent. It's such a nice home for $2,200 a month, you would think plenty of families would have responded to her ad on CraigsList.
But they haven't...because someone else is also advertising her house on CraigsList, at almost a thousand dollars less per month!
She showed me the two ads, saying "his is $1,300. Mine is $2,200. Guess who is getting all the emails from renters?"
How the Scam WorksThis is happening to home owners and landlords around the country, according to the FBI.
Foreign scammers are copying rental ads -- right down to photos and the fact that cats are ok -- then posting the same home or apartment for hundreds of dollars less on CraigsList.
Potential renters are easily scammed...because the house really exists, and the scammers tell them to look at it, then wire some money to hold it.
Bethany says "they say they can't show the house because they claim to be in England, so they tell you to drive by the property. And they say IF you like it, send a cash deposit to hold the house"
Based on follow up emails she later received, Bethany believes at least two families may have sent a $1,300 dollar deposit to the scammer who is posting her house for rent....while her legitimate ad gets ignored.
Don't Let this Happen to YouIf you are house or apartment hunting, always makes sure the landlord is local...and is really the landlord ....even if you look at the place for rent. And never mail or wire a cash deposit to anyone.
That way you don't waste your money. I'm John Matarese.
