ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - Scammers are preying on rental home shoppers on the classifieds website Craigslist.org.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) posted a warning about the scam on its website, saying the ads mimic or copy text in legitimate ads, but provide contact information for the scammer instead.
Recommended Videos
One Roanoke consumer told BBB she was told by a "property owner" that she could move in immediately, with no credit check required. All she had to do was send the security deposit via money wire and the house keys would be mailed back. The phony owner said they were out of town and couldn't meet to show the home, and had decided to rent because "realtors were inflating the prices."
Thankfully this consumer contacted BBB first. We found the real owner of the property who said he had received multiple calls from folks who had seen the phony advertisement. The ad has since been removed from Craigslist.
The BBB said never pay for a rental without inspecting the property first.
President and CEO of BBB Serving Western VA, Julie Wheeler said, "if the landlord requires payment via a money wire, walk away immediately. Legitimate realty agencies and property owners will never request payment of this manner or rent to someone sight unseen."
BBB advises consumers to watch for these red flags of a rental scam:
- Requests that they send a check or money order or wire funds through MoneyGram, Green Dot MoneyPak or Western Union.
- Typos, grammatical errors and improper wording or context during discussion.
- When selling or buying items online, requests for your bank account number, Social Security number or a code sent to your cellphone via text message or phone call are all signs of a potential scam.
- The house sounds wonderful but there are no photos. There may be legitimate listings that don't post photos or addresses, but generally the practice should raise a red flag.
- The e-mail used by the person who posted the listing does not sound like a person's name. That may be an indicator that it is an auto-generated e-mail account, preferred because they are difficult to trace.
- They aren't willing to reveal the house's address until you reply to their ad, perhaps by going to a website and filling out a "free credit report." That report's sole purpose is to steal your identity.
- You cannot inspect the property prior to making a decision.
- The rent is much lower than similar properties in your area.
- The owner is located out of state or in another country.
- Do your research. BBB suggests you carefully research the owner/ home. Research the renter's name, phone number, and email online. Ask to inspect the property and review the lease before making any decisions. Check local property records to determine if the person is the actual owner of the property.
If you need more information, contact the BBB at (540) 342-3455 or (800) 533-5501. You can also visit www.bbb.org.