The scam starts at the popular website known as Craigslist and ends with renters being “taken” for thousands of dollars. Listings are being copied from real estate websites and advertised on Craigslist, the contact information is changed to a fraudulent name and phone number. The price for the rental is then lowered to a below market price, in order to become more attractive to potential tenants. The scammers are asking for the first months rent along with a deposit, normally equal to the cost of one months rent. The transaction is completed online and in come cases, the lockbox on the door is drilled into and renters have been placed into homes that they have no legal right to.

The best way to determine if the rental that you are looking at online is not a scam, is to pay attention to a few details that are often overlooked. Be aware of the content of the ad. The Craigslist ad will be a copy of the original ad, including a photo; however the follow-up emails will normally have incorrect spelling. If the price that is being asked is abnormally low for that area, it is probably a scam. The scammers will normally ask for the money to be sent by Western Union or some other method that cannot be tracked.

If you feel that you are in the middle of a possible scam, call your local law enforcement office immediately.

The best way to avoid being scammed is to go through a licensed Real Estate agent, here at CENTURY 21 Allliance Realty, we offer some of the best of the best in the way of informed, professional agents and brokers.