| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/24/2008 3:17:53 PM | I was concerned when my little sister told me that her and her friend found an awesome deal on a 3,000 sq foot home. The couple is in the UK (1st red flag at least to me) They want to rend their 3 bedroom house out for $900.00 (2nd redflag) There is no management company involved. They want to handle everything online including the applications for rent. I explained that they would be submitting their social security numbers and a lot of personal info to someone they don't know if they are legit or not. They went by the house and there is a lockbox on it. The owners stated they would mail them the keys. They wan't $1,800 prior to move in.
The add was on Craigslist for one day then taken down. Yet when they called the property was still available (I don't know if it was flagged or if it was removed by the poster)
Just curious if anyone knows of any rental scams. I know when I posted for a roommate I got all kinds of weird stuff from people from the UK wanting to send me cashiers checks! Yeah right! | |
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| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/24/2008 3:50:28 PM | As a general rule, Realtors, are members of a Multiple Listing Service, put lockboxes on houses that are listed with them to be sold. The lockbox allows Realtors, other than the listing Realtor, that are members of the same Multiple Listing Service, to show the house.
In order to create a scam, which this surely sounds like, all the grifter would have to do, is cruise the local Real Estate listings, have a friend in the area, pick up the Realtor's For Sale Sign, and leave. Realtors seldom check on the properties listed with them, unless they are showing them to potential buyers.
With the entirety of the transaction being conducted online, it surely is suspect, in my mind. There's a lockbox on the door to the property; yet, the landlord to be has to "mail" the new tenants a key? What is the purpose of the lockbox then?
A 3,000 sq ft house renting for $900.00? That would be a red flag in most any state. I'll give you an example. I am a landlord, I rent out a twenty-one year old, two bedroom, two bath, 960 sq ft, mobile home, for $550 a month. My tenants were glad to get it, because everything else in the area was even higher, and not in as good a shape.
How is the landlord going to verify the house is still in the same shape as it was left, if they are in the UK? How are they going to ensure the terms of the lease are adhered to? How is the landlord going to ensure that any necessary repairs to house are done in a timely manner, if they are in the UK?
Doing a rental application over the internet, to someone you don't know? Not hardly. With their Social Security Numbers, their identities could be stolen, and all kinds of terrible things could happen. Another huge red flag.
The landlord wants $1,800 prior to move in; which is reasonable. First and last month's rent in advance. Are the prospective tenants supposed to send the money, and the check clear their bank, prior to their receiving a key? If this is the case, their money could potentially be gone, and no key ever arrive.
Like the old saying goes, if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
I'd steer clear of this situation, as it smacks loudly of fraud. | |
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| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/24/2008 6:28:14 PM | | Yes, I have heard of this and actually knew someone this happened too.You send the check and you get nothing in return. THere was actually a case going in the San Diego area investigating people who do this. It was featured on 10 news. I suggest they report the add to the local law enforcement agency. | |
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| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/24/2008 9:33:07 PM | One thing for sure, there is a sucker born every minute. I wish these internet entrepreneurs would get a real job and write for the National Enquirer or something.
OT: If there's a lockbox on the property, there should be a real estate agent involved/previously involved. Check with them first to make sure all the stories match. | |
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| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/24/2008 11:43:33 PM |
Like the old saying goes, if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
I actually told her this last night...
I also asked her WHO put the lockbox on and explained that realtors can open lockboxes and they also usually have a code to be opened.... so why would they need to mail her the keys...
I explained there are so many scams and I'm alarmed whenever I hear someone is in the UK... they've supposedly had several online conversations.
Thanks for the info on the news (We are in the San Diego area... so this could be the scam that they were talking about!) | |
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| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/24/2008 11:59:53 PM | | Tell them NOT to do it! I have perused Craig’s List rental property listings recently, and there was a poster on there who was legitimately listing his house. He said that scammers stole the ad for his home (complete with the address and picture of it); offered at a “too good to be true” rent; and were ripping people off. Authorities were notified, but these types continually change their M.O. and are difficult to catch. | |
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| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/25/2008 1:49:28 AM | | Tell them not to do it. If they don't go through a property management company there really is no recourse for anything going wrong either with the initial contract or when things need to get done. Unless this place is in an area that they hand guns out with the rental agreements then I would say this is not legitimate. This has too many red flags and they should pass. | |
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| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/25/2008 5:31:19 PM | Any Realtor could tell your sis who owns the house. Realtors have detailed access to public records. The Realtor could also be a good citizen and report the incident to the real owners or their Realtor.
A neighboring house was repo'd by a bank. One weekend, a con man actually advertised a rental open house. He collected "deposits" from several different people. At the end of the day, he packed up with a pocketful of cash, never to be seen again.
This sounds like a scam. | |
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| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/25/2008 10:11:07 PM | Thanks everyone.... I actually looked up the owner this morning.... (I have access) LOL The names did not match... So I told them to call a realtor and find out if it was listed or with a management company....
It was indeed with a management company... they are leasing it for $3,500 (NOT 900.00!!!)
They received an application from the supposed landlord.. that didn't even ask for socials... It did ask their RELIGION!!!! Wow.. let's not even pull credit!
I told them to contact the fraud department with the police.
My sis and her friend contacted the management company... and they stated that THEY were not the 1st to contact them... they stated they got a call from someone that already sent monies!!!!
Wow... I can't believe people have the balls to advertise repoed homes... and take peoples monies! It's just crazy what people will stoop too!!! | |
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| Scam or Real Rental property add
Posted: 2/25/2008 11:48:10 PM | I am too!!! 1,800 could be pretty darn devistating!!!
It's sad that we have to be so careful and suspect! | |
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