Online scam targets renters with too-good-to-be-true deals
Posted on Wednesday, March 5, 2008
If a three-bedroom house in Fayetteville that rents for $ 600 a month sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
People searching for rentals on Craigslist. org should be aware of fake listings that advertise enticing deals. The owner claims to be working out of the country and asks that the renter send a payment in return for the keys to the property.
One listing describes a three-bedroom unit in a duplex "steps to downtown Fayetteville. "An inquiry to the e-mail address listed was responded to by a person claiming to be Dr. Barry Munitz. The person claims he is working in an AIDS orphanage in West Africa and is looking for someone to take care of his house while he is gone.
He claims in the e-mail that the house is located at 2990 N. Rom Orchard Road in Fayetteville, which according to Google maps, is about five miles from downtown Fayetteville and is actually a 2, 300-square-foot house on four acres listed for sale by Bassett Mix and Associates for $ 499, 500.
Another listing describes a two-bedroom house for $ 700. An inquiry received a similar response from a "Pastor Mike"who claims to be doing missionary work in West Africa.
The e-mail provides an address of 312 E. Lafayette St. in Fayetteville, which is a three-bedroom house listed on the market for $ 450, 000 by Keller Williams Realty. "Pastor Mike"asks that interested renters go by and look at the exterior of the house.
"You will not be able to go inside to see the interior hence I have all the keys and security code here with me," he writes.
This should be a warning sign to people, according to a Craigslist posting called "avoid scams & fraud," which advises users to deal locally with people, meeting with them in person. It also warns against wiring funds and giving out financial information.
Fayetteville police Sgt. Shannon Gabbard said he has dealt before with scams on Craigslist, a Web site that carries community-moderated, largely free classifieds and forums for about 450 cities worldwide.
"Every once in a while, we'll hear about something on Craigslist," he said. One incident involved someone trying to buy furniture out of state. The seller wanted money up front to cover shipping costs. The person sent a check for a show of good faith, Gabbard said, but it turned out to be a bogus check.
"It's buyer beware when you're dealing with anything online," he said.
Gabbard said people don't fall for Internet scams often. When it comes to the attention of the Police Department, he said, it's because it has raised suspicion with someone.
Sgt. Tim Franklin said he hasn't seen any reports about the rental scams on Craigslist. If people are able to tell it's a scam, they will often just blow it off and not report it, he said.
Franklin said people should be cautious of listings that seem to be unlikely deals.
"The bottom line is if it's too good to be true, it probably is," he said. "If there is any indication that a person is asking for money to be sent out of the community, a red flag should go up immediately."
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