Have you come across a Craigslist rental scam lately? Here are my tips to avoid Craigslist scams and real estate scams so that you can stay safe.
Over the past few weeks, we have been searching for the perfect rental home for us to move into, but sadly we have come across many Craigslist rental scams. We found many great homes, and actually signed a lease the other day on one (more information on that to come soon).
Even though we found a rental home, we came across many Craigslist scams and Craigslist rental scams firsthand. It led to us wondering “How do I avoid Craigslist rental scams?”
I only received around 10 emails back from potential landlords and three of those I knew were definitely scammers. There might have been others as well.
Due to this, I knew I had to create a post on the topic of rental scams for people who are looking for apartments and houses on Craigslist for rent.
You can find rental scams everywhere (Craigslist, Zillow, and more), and many people are duped every single day out of hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars due to fake listings on this platform.
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How do Craigslist rental scams work? How do rental scams work on Craigslist?
There are cases where the person might not actually be a scammer, but you should be on high alert if you decide to continue through with a potential rental that you are unsure about.
Hopefully with my advice on renting on Craigslist tips below, you’ll be able to find a REAL rental.
Some scams that you may come across include:
- Craigslist rental scams
- Craigslist apartment scams
- Craigslist housing scams
- Craigslist vacation rental scams
- Fake house ads on Craigslist
- Rent to own scams on craigslist
If you’re wondering if Craigslist rentals are legit – yes, they are! But, you need to be careful. So, before you hand over a check, your credit card, or your driver’s license, please make sure that it is not a Craigslist home scammer that you are dealing with.
Below, you’ll learn how to spot a scammer on Craigslist.
Related: What You Need To Know About Renting A Room In Your House
What happens if you get scammed on Craigslist?
If you get scammed on Craigslist, they may be taking your rent money, security deposit, or even your personal information. Plus, they may waste your valuable time, and you may even be thinking that you are truly moving into the rental property.
This can be heartbreaking, and you definitely do not want this to happen to you.
How can you tell if someone is scamming you on Craigslist?
There are a few ways to tell if you are dealing with a Craigslist rental poster. Here’s how to spot a rental scammer on Craigslist.
1. The “landlord” is showing you the home, but do they actually own it?
One of the many Craigslist rental scams I have been hearing about a lot lately is when a scammer seems legitimate and even shows you around the rental. You might believe they are the landlord since they somehow got into the rental, but that isn’t always the case.
Sometimes scammers will break into a back window or even steal the key from the actual landlord so they can show the rental to unsuspecting potential tenants. This can be a huge disaster, as many people will believe the scammer since they are pretending to be the landlord.
Another Craigslist scam I have heard about that is related to this is when a renter moves into a home, pays the deposit, rent, etc., only to find out weeks or months later that the actual owner is at their door. The owner might have been on a long vacation or they might have just let the home sit vacant while trying to sell it, and thieves noticed their absence only to take advantage of the situation. This can be bad as you will have to vacate immediately and you will be out of money, such as the refundable deposit you may have given to the scammer.
My Craigslist rental search tip: Always make sure the person renting out the home is the owner or the property manager. There are many fake house ads on Craigslist. You can usually do a simple search on who owns the property by looking up city records. You also may be able to call the building’s manager (if there is one) and ask if the apartment is for rent and who is renting it.
2. A rental that seems too good to be true is often one of the many Craigslist rental scams.
This is how some rental scammers try to lure you in and an easy way to know how to spot a scammer on Craigslist. They will create a listing, make the rental sound amazing, offer it at a very low price, not require money upfront, many luxurious amenities for a low price, and so on.
Also, if it says something like smoking and pets are allowed, I would be a little cautious as well. I haven’t seen very many rentals that would just say that upfront unless they were really desperate for a renter.
This is a clue that you might be the victim of a Craigslist scam. If the landlord makes it too easy for you to live in their rental, then you need to be very careful. Scammers are often hoping that someone will be caught up in a “great deal” and come running to them with cash.
My rental search tip: Always do your research before you give anyone money. You should check other listings in the area to see if the rental is comparable and you should also see if the place is actually for rent. In most cases, it is not.
Here’s one Craigslist scam email I received (I actually received this response for two different rentals I inquired about):
3. A scammer wants your information or money before you view the home.
If you are asked to fill out a rental application before you view a home, then you might be in the middle of one of the many Craigslist rental scams. The scammer is hoping that you will give them personal information, such as your bank account number, social security number, or something else. They will then disappear once they receive all of this information. This is a bad situation because you basically just gave your identity away.
Also, if you are asked to give money before you are allowed to view a home or see the interior, then something is not right. This is most definitely a scam and you should avoid it. You should never have to pay loads of money in order to just view a home.
My rental search tip: You should always do your research, view the home, and more before you give out any extremely personal information. Occasionally, you may have to give your ID to the landlord, but other than that they should not need anything personal from you just to show you the rental house or apartment. Now, many times the Craigslist rental does for your email address, so that they can contact you. That is fine, simply be safe!
Here’s another Craigslist rental scam e-mail I received. This person sent me two e-mails so I just copied and pasted both e-mails into one so that you can easily read them both:
4. The landlord’s email has been compromised – Big Craigslist housing scams!
One scary Craigslist rental scam I recently heard about is when all of the information in a rental listing is correct. The home is actually for rent, the e-mail and phone number are real, and more.
However, when you e-mail the landlord you believe you are actually talking to them. It turns out that you are actually talking to someone who hacked into their e-mail. This can be a scary Craigslist scam as it can be hard to detect.
My rental search tip: Even though this Craigslist rental scam seems difficult, it can be easy to overcome. You should contact the landlord via the phone number that is listed on the real listing and talk to a real person. Then, you should verify everything that was discussed in the e-mails. Most of the time, landlords have no idea that their e-mail address was even hacked.
Related: Phone Scams: The Best Tips To Avoid Becoming A Victim
5. They give you a sob story.
Some rental scammers will give you a sob story in order to make you feel bad for them. But, think about it: why would a landlord need to tell you this at all in the first place?
It’s a business for them.
If they give you some sort of sad story, then it is most likely a scam. Lots of Craigslist rental scammers will give you a sob story such as having to move to take care of family, being forced to move due to the military, or something else.
Don’t believe it.
6. Lots of typos are a red flag
If the email or the paperwork has a lot of typos, then this is usually a sign that you are dealing with a Craigslist rental scam.
So, as you are reading their emails, the home rental application, and more, check to see if there are a lot of glaring mistakes. While the grammar and everything may not be perfect, if there are a lot of obvious errors then I would be a little cautious.
Frequently Asked Questions About Craigslist Rental Scams
Below are answers to common questions about Craigslist rental scams.
How do I verify a rental on Craigslist? How can you tell a scam on Craigslist?
You may be wondering “How do you know if a rental is legit?” or “How do I make sure a Craigslist rental is real?”
There are many different things to be aware of when looking for a rental online. Here are my general tips before falling for Craigslist housing scams or Craigslist apartment scams:
- Always make sure the person showing the home is the landlord or property manager.
- If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
- If the landlord is trying to push a lot of urgency your way, then I would be wary. For example, if they say that they need someone to move in tomorrow because they are flying overseas, and that’s why they have such a good deal, then they may be a con artist.
- Be careful with your personal information, so that you are not the victim of identity theft.
- If anyone ever asks you to wire money, you should not. Most scammers will ask for money to be wired and this should be your first red flag that something is not right. Keep in mind that if you wire money, you CANNOT get it back. Too many people think you can get wired money back.
- Does the listing and/or e-mail communication with the “landlord” have many misspellings? Does the e-mail refer to you as Sir or Madam? Do they say they are out of the country and cannot show you the home until you pay? Do they claim to be a missionary or a reverend? If any of these are true, then this is usually the sign of a scammer.
- Does the person never want to meet in person? If you never meet the landlord, then it is most likely a Craigslist rental listing scam. The landlord or their property manager will want to meet you, not avoid you.
- Do they only want you to peak through the windows in order to view the rental? This is a huge red flag if they never want to meet you and instead want you to only look through the windows. Legitimate landlords will want to meet you and rental ads that state otherwise are most likely fake.
- Does the Craigslist home for rent seem like a really great deal? If so, you may want to ask yourself why they are offering such a great deal. Real owners don’t think you are doing them a favor. Instead, they see it as a way to make money.
- Do they mention Western Union or receiving funds via money order? If so, then it may be a scam as scammers love to mention Western Union. You simply want to be careful if they ask for either of these.
- Are they letting you skip any type of background check? Sometimes there are credit checks, background checks, and so on. If it is too easy to get the rental, then it is probably a scam.
- Always trust your gut instinct as there are always other places to rent in the world.
As you can see, there are many ways to learn how to spot a rental scammer on Craigslist. There are many fake house ads on Craigslist, so you want to be careful.
Are Craigslist rentals legit? How do I know if a rental is legitimate?
Yes, Craigslist rentals cans be legitimate. I have personally found Craigslist houses to rent (and lived in it) through Craigslist.
Below, you will see how to tell if a Craigslist rental is legitimate or if it is a fake Craigslist ad, and how to spot red flags.
Are Craigslist rentals safe? Is renting from Craigslist safe?
Yes, Craigslist rentals can be safe. You simply need to follow the tips in this article so that you can stay away from Craigslist rental scams and find legitimate home rentals.
Why do people post fake rentals on Craigslist?
People post fake rental ads on Craigslist because they are scammers and are looking for easy money. Plus, some potential renters who may be looking for a new home may be a little desperate as well, because everyone needs a place to live in, of course.
Is it safe to rent a room from Craigslist?
Yes, it can be safe to rent a room from Craigslist. Follow the tips here, and make sure you get along with your potential future roommates.
You also want to be safe on Facebook Marketplace, and anywhere else where you may be looking at potential homes to rent.
What can a Craigslist scammer do with my phone number?
A scammer can use the phone number that you give them to scam others, through Google Voice. I recommend being careful with giving your phone number out.
Someone posted my house for rent on Craigslist, what do I do?
If you have a realtor or real estate agent and your house or condo are currently for sale, I highly recommend contacting them and seeing what you can do. This is because many times homes that are for sale will be listed for rent on Craigslist through a fake ad.
You should also report the fraudulent Craigslist ad to Craigslist. Doing this will help to curb Craigslist rental frauds and help anyone who may fall for the Craigslist rental scam.
You also will want to go to your local police department and attorney general to see what they can do for you as well.
How do I protect myself from Craigslist rental scams? How do I avoid getting scammed on Craigslist?
Don’t give money or any of your personal information (such as your bank account number, social security number, and so on) until you are 100% sure that it is a real rental on Craigslist.
Also, if the person requests money or your personal info from you before you even view the rental property, then I would be careful as well.
You will want to make sure you do your research before you give the person cashier’s checks, a PayPal account, or even Venmoing or sending a Zelle payment to them. Whatever way that they ask for payment, you simply want to be careful and spend your time to make sure that you are not dealing with a Craigslist scammer.
Unfortunately, there are many Craigslist rental scams on the internet which are scamming potential renters.
P.S. There are over 200 comments below (you may have to click “« Older Comments” to see all of them), and many of you have been sharing your Craigslist rental scam stories and screenshots of exact emails. This is a great way to learn how to catch a rental scammer on Craigslist. Let’s continue to help one another out, thank you!
How to spot Craigslist housing scams? How to spot a rental scammer on Craigslist?
I hope you enjoyed today’s article on how to find Craigslist rental scams. There are definitely many fake ads out there, but do not let a Craigslist scammer deter you. There are ways to learn how to avoid rental scams on Craigslist so that you don’t get scammed.
Instead, I recommend doing your research and being careful before you hand over money or start a wire transfer. You may want to ask locals about a specific rental property, search anything you can on Google to see if the rental pops up for you (such as if you can see any complaints for that specific address), reaching out to a property management company, and more. This is so that you can make sure you are talking to the true owner of the property or whoever works for them.
After all, you don’t want to give scam artists a security deposit, Moneygram, first month’s rent, application fee, cashier’s checks, Venmo, Zelle, or whatever else they want without some verification that it is all real.
And, if a landlord asks you to send over gift cards as a form of payment, it is most likely fake and you are dealing with a Craigslist scammer. I have never, never heard of a landlord asking for a gift card as payment. It can be easy to fall for a rental scam, especially in today’s rental market where there is no rental inventory, which can lead to a lot of desperation.
Also, please be careful and watch out for Craigslist sublet scams. You can use many of the same Craigslist rental scam tips above to avoid Craigslist sublet scams.
But, there are legitimate rentals on Craigslist, you simply need to be careful. This may mean making sure to meet the property owner face-to-face, doing some research on the contact information that you are given, and more before you give a personal check and last month’s rent.
I, personally, have found a home rental on Craigslist and it was a great home. You can find Craigslist apartment rentals, Craigslist house rentals, and more that are legitimate – you just have to be careful.
What Craigslist rental scams and Craigslist apartment scams have you seen or heard about? Have you wondered how Craigslist rental scams work? Have you ever been the victim of any type of scam?
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I got “Approved” I knew it was fishy from start but I did answer questionare first thing I noticed was email address was homesshow@aol.com I seen someone else said they were getting CA and I noticed the email had two ss in it as well.. I’m in WA. The guy on phone sounded Hispanic yet the email was written in perfect English.
Hello,
I received your inquiry about my property for rent at , Auburn, WA 98002. My name is James Collins, My family and I just moved down to Dallas(TX) due to my job Development Program(Intern Development Program (IDP) , the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) is a comprehensive training program created to ensure that candidates pursuing licensure in the architecture profession gain the knowledge and skills required for the independent practice of architecture. The program is developed, maintained, and administered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and is required by most U.S. architectural registration boards to satisfy experience requirements for licensure.), we will be here for 3 to 4 years. My initial plan was to sell the house but I find it difficult to let go this adorable home, I have decided to rent my home to a responsible tenant who is willing to take very good care of it in our absence. Pets are allowed as long as they are not destructive. The rent is $985 and security deposit is $715 and total move-in cost is $1700 and all the utilities are included in the monthly rent,as i am in a governmental programmer that sponsors my utilities on monthly basis and pets are also allowed. You can kindly text or call me at (469) 415-5579
You can drive-by to view the outside and neighborhood of the house and get back to me with the rental questionnaire filled out.
General house description:
Bedroom: 2
Bathroom: 1
Below are some questions I need you to answer so we can discuss further. You can only drive by the property for now to check the outside and the neighborhood, it is available for a long lease. Get back to me for further discussion on how to get the keys and paperwork of the property to you if I find you suitable and decide to rent the property to you..
RENT QUESTIONNAIRE
Name (First name/ Middle name/Surname ) : ______?
Phone numbers (home,cell and office line ) # :__________?
Marital Status:__________?
How many proposed occupants :__________?
List all in addition to yourself including approx age :__________?
Present Address :__________?
Will you have pets :__________?
Please describe Breed, size :__________?
Personality of pet :__________?
When do you plan to move in, please write exact date?
Intended length of lease:__________?
Do you agree to pay the payment before you move in:__________?
If you are ask to make a down payment to secure the house today and take it off market, How much will you be able to pay:__________?
Length of previous tenancy :__________?
Present occupation :__________?
Are you a section 8 applicant
Do you work late night :__________?
Do you smoke :__________?
Do you drink :__________?
I _______________, Certify that answers given herein are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I authorize investigation of all statements contained in this application for tenant screening as may be necessary in arriving at a tenant decision. I understand that the landlord may terminate any rental agreement entered into for any misrepresentation made above.
Looking forward to hearing from you with all these details so that I can have it in my file in case of issuing the receipt and contacting you. Await your reply so we can discuss on how to get the document and the key to you.
N.B: I want you to know that before we left the state,we never had an intention of renting this home until we got down here,should in case we had an intention of renting it we would have put down someone to handle it on our behalf but due to our last experience with a realtor that is why we decided not to have a third party for the rental,as the realtor did something absurd by inflating the price of the home so due to that we had to terminate contract
Thanks and God bless.
“Everybody Deserves a Home Both The Rich And The Poor.”
“Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections”
Live the life you love
Love the life you have
Laugh till the very end
God Bless Everyone.
Mr James Collins
Show quoted text
Got the same exact email today.
Hello,
I received your inquiry about my property for rent at 5722 N Lindeke St, Spokane, WA 99205 . My name is Smarth Christ Joseph, My family and I just moved down to Beatty(NV) due to my job Development Program (Intern Development Program (IDP), the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) is a comprehensive training program created to ensure that candidates pursuing licensure in the architecture profession gain the knowledge and skills required for the independent practice of architecture.The program is developed, maintained,and administered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and is required by most U.S. architectural registration boards to satisfy experience requirements for licensure.), we will be here for 3 to 4 years. My initial plan was to sell the house but I find it difficult to let go this adorable home, I have decided to rent my home to a responsible tenant who is willing to take very good care of it in our absence. Pets are allowed as long as they are not destructive. The rent is $900 and security deposit is $700 and total move-in cost is $1600 and all the utilities are included in the monthly rent, as i am in a governmental programmer that sponsors my utilities on monthly basis and pets are also allowed. You can kindly text or call me at (951)-363-4147
You can drive-by to view the outside and neighborhood of the house and get back to me with the rental questionnaire filled out.
General house description:
Bedroom: 2
Bathroom: 1
Below are some questions I need you to answer so we can discuss further. You can only drive by the property for now to check the outside and the neighborhood, it is available for a long lease. Get back to me for further discussion on how to get the keys and paperwork of the property to you if I find you suitable and decide to rent the property to you..
RENT QUESTIONNAIRE
Name (First name/ Middle name/Surname ) : ______?
Phone numbers (home,cell and office line ) # :__________?
Marital Status:__________?
How many proposed occupants :__________?
List all in addition to yourself including approx age :__________?
Present Address :__________?
Will you have pets :__________?
Please describe Breed, size :__________?
Personality of pet :__________?
When do you plan to move in, please write exact date?
Intended length of lease:__________?
Do you agree to pay the payment before you move in:__________?
If you are ask to make a down payment to secure the house today and take it off market, How much will you be able to pay:__________?
Length of previous tenancy :__________?
Present occupation :__________?
Are you a section 8 applicant
Do you work late night :__________?
Do you smoke :__________?
Do you drink :__________?
I _______________, Certify that answers given herein are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I authorize investigation of all statements contained in this application for tenant screening as may be necessary in arriving at a tenant decision. I understand that the landlord may terminate any rental agreement entered into for any misrepresentation made above.
Looking forward to hearing from you with all these details so that I can have it in my file in case of issuing the receipt and contacting you. Await your reply so we can discuss on how to get the document and the key to you.
N.B: I want you to know that before we left the state, we never had an intention of renting this home until we got down here, should in case we had an intention of renting it we would have put down someone to handle it on our behalf but due to our last experience with a realtor that is why we decided not to have a third party for the rental, as the realtor did something absurd by inflating the price of the home so due to that we had to terminate contract
Thanks and God bless.
“Everybody Deserves a Home Both The Rich And The Poor.”
“Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections”
Live the life you love
Love the life you have
Laugh till the very end
God Bless Everyone.
Mr Smarth Christ Joseph
This is his email:
Thanks for your interest and inquiries about my house. Yes the house is still available for rent and we are looking for a responsible person/family to occupy and maintain the house now that we are not around. Myself and Wife just traveled to UNTIED STATE OF AMERICA DID TO MY (JOB TRANSFER)
We will be away for 2 years or more that is why I have made up my mind to put up my house for rent to whomever that will take good care of it. However, my initial plan was to sell the house but it was not successful because the Realtor raised the price which made it difficult for me to sell before leaving the States so never mind if you see the for sale sign in front of the house, It has already been taken off the market as for sale so there is no need to contact any Realtor. Please note than you will only be able to drive by the house for now but not have a look at the interior until i have sent the keys and documents of the house to you..
FEATURES : Laundry, Electric Range, Electric Heat, Master Bedroom, Playground, Car Park.AMENITIES: Air Conditioning, Patio/Party Deck, Cable TV, Ceiling Fans, 24 hours Internet service, Dishwasher, Fireplace, Garbage Disposal, Microwave, security alarm, Pets Friendly, Refrigerator, Washer / Dryer.
Rental Price: $1000 per month and security Deposit is $1000… Total move in cost $2000 (Security Deposit is Refundable) Utilities included in monthly rent. Pets are Welcome. Below is the address to the house: (90 Oaklands Cres Red Deer, AB, T4P 0C4) You can call or text me on (850) 312-8013.
Please if you are ready now to occupy the house kindly provide the information below for record purpose
********RENT APPLICATION FORM*******
********PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL********
Full Name__________________________________________________ Home Phone ( ) ________________________
Date of Birth_________________________________
Other Phone ( ) ___________________
Current Address_______________________________Apt#________ City__________________ State______ Zip________
Reasons for Leaving____________________________Rent $__________Phone ( ) ____________________________
Married/Single__________________________
How old are you __________________________
How many people will be living in the house____________________________
Do you have a pet____________________________
Do you have a car____________________________
Do you work late night : __________
Do you smoke : __________
Do you drink : __________
Occupation____________________________
How soon can you have the deposit payment sent to me_________
How soon do you want to receive the keys________________
Move In Date_____________
How much can you put down to hold the house if you can’t move in ASAP__________?
Reference
Name:
Address:
Telephone Number:
Relationship:
I hereby represent that all of the above information is true, accurate and complete, and hereby of the authorize verification over items, including but not limited to the obtaining of a credit report/and or recovery of monetary claims, and agree to furnish additional credit references on request.
DATE………… APPLICANT SIGNATURE/NAME…………….
Remain Blessed
Mr Daniel Morrison
I cannot believe I got scammed. I am desperately looking for a home .. and I fell for it. As we are getting married soon and was desperately looking. I lost a total of 3,750. I’m depressed about it. Today is the date we were supposed to move in by and he never sent the keys. His name is Jian Cong Qiu. Is from CA but supposedly moved to MI and is a researcher. The address he placed was 1824 Volendam Ave Modesto Ca. I can’t believe I fell for it. He took advantage of the fact I am in desperate need of a home. I deposited a cashiers Check to a man named James Hebo apparently his cousin. At Chase Bank.
This is what I got today in response to a Craigslist Rental.
Thank you for show your interest in Rent To Everyone. Your response property is available now. You need to first complete the application to view this house. Go to our official site renttoeveryone.com and complete your application with application fee $49 refundable. After complete your application we need 3 hour to review your application. You need to pay the 1st month rent in advance for security deposit purpose, good credits history is not mandatory to rent our property and it’s a pets welcome house. You can also use your registered email ID and password to member logging page (with our approval) to see our more property. Facing any type of problem or need any help please email info@renttoeveryone.com or call (213) 437-3257 (customer service) 24/7 days
I received a rather lengthy one the other from the email address propertyowner666335@outlook.com. Seems legit 😂
Hello Tenant
Thanks for your email, I personally own the house, I want my property to be well taken good care of, and there are some rules and regulation in which I do give out to tenant willing to rent my house so please don’t disrespect my order But if you are still capable of renting my house the rules and regulation goes this way. You must keep my house clean including the surrounding, you must know the way in which you use the stove so as to avoid fire outbreak,you must not disturb the neighbor.I decided to rent out the property due to our transfer to (QUEENS, NEW YORK) on a Missionary Work in a church here named World Mission, so we are renting it out since we need someone to take good care of the property on our absent.
Don’t be surprise if you find the home with another site and deference price, I have plan to rent it through Real estate before, but they are not serious simply because they have a lot of house to lease out And they added some money to the rent while there commission is not fair. Have this in mind you must know the kind of person that I’m nevertheless I am giving you this rules because of what corresponded between me and my last tenant. the keys and documents are with us here in (QUEENS, NEW YORK)… So I will need to ship them to you before you can occupy the house But you can drive by the house anytime to take a look at the area and surrounding, You can also peek through the windows if you don’t mind.For now we are looking for 3 or 4 years lease or rather lets us know how long you wish to stay.
Attn : The rent are including the Utilities are intact such as Dishwasher,Dryer, Electric Stove, Fridge, Washer,Air Condition,Sewage,Trash, Other amenities include ; large eat-in kitchen with refrigerator, gas stove/oven, and microwave oven; spacious living room with fireplace; deck; laundry room off kitchen with washer & dryer; and cable/internet ready.Hi-efficiency gas heat & electric hot water, city water.all included in the monthly rent,as i am in a governmental programmer that sponsors my utilities on monthly basis etc.
Please note that, we are a kind and honest family,that spent a lot on property that is available for rent, so in one accord,we are soliciting for your absolute maintenance of this house and want you to treat it as your own.We want you to keep it tidy all the time so that we shall be glad to see it whenever we are around on a visit.
SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENTAL APPLICATION FORMS BELOW
RENT APPLICATION FORM AND TELL US MORE ABOUT YOU .
1) Your Full Name
2A) Home Phone ?
2B) Cell Phone Number ?
3) Your Full Address :
4) How old are you?
5a) Are you married?
5b) How many people will be living in the house?
6a) Do you have a pet?
6b) What type
7a) Do you have a car?
7b) What type?
8) Occupation?
9) Do you smoke?
10) Do you Drink ?
11) Do you work at Night ?
12) What is your monthly income?
13) Reference Contact Name and Address?
14) When do you intend Moving in?
15) Private email :
16 ) Picture of you and your family?
17) When can you pay for your deposit to
secure or move in?
Notice : Text me immediately you fill out the application
Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that we can have it our file in case of issuing the receipt for you and contacting you..
Await your prompt reply so that we can discuss on the rental terms and agreement, please we are renting the house to you base on trust and again i will want you to stick to your words.So please do not let us down in maintaining this our property and God bless you more as you do this.
PROPERTY DESCRIPTION………..
Number of Bedrooms:3
Number of baths:1
Square footage:952
Pets are welcome!!!
Rent:$700
Refundable security Deposit:$700
House Address: 8939 Eden Ave, Saint Louis, MO 63123
My Cell Phone Number: (660) 236-8404
Thanks and God bless you.
Reverend Thomas Kwasniak & Family
Unfortunately these ads seem to be in every craigslist market in the country and I assume other rental postings also. We have been looking for a rental for over a month now and sorting through the scammers is almost becoming a second job. We are in Alaska and I have rooted out two scammers already and its to the point I have become suspicious of everything. So I thought I would post how I avoided becoming a victim so others will not be victims, I hated reading stories where people were actually conned. So the red flags in my case is that each one originally would communicate by email or text. When they told me about “their” property I did two things 1. asked them for their name and 2. asked them if they would meet me at the property and show it to me. In Alaska property owner information is posted on government web sites. You can type in the persons name and it will show you the property owner, or you can type in the address and it will show you the owners name. Once they gave me their names I checked the property ownership and found that they didn’t own the property. On both occasions they said they left the state due to the COVID-19 isolation requirements, which makes absolutely no sense, and that they had no way of showing it. I actually got one to call me and he had a strong latino accent but had an English name, this in and of itself should be enough to raise flags. However, I went ahead and told him that I looked up the property owners name and asked him to tell me who the property owner was. He could not but tried to tell me that he purchased it and needed someone to take possession of it. The more of his story that I countered the more he lied and it became obvious the guy was a fraud. I then reported the encounter along with phone numbers, emails, and city locations that i could gather to the Federal Trade Commission, that complain is forwarded to the FBI and local police by the FTC and since I am retired military it is also forwarded to military authorities on JBER. The second guy started off the same way so I went through the same process. I’m still trying to get the guy call me. When I do I will repeat the same steps. I feel like I should do everything I can to expose these jerks so I can help others not be scammed. If everyone does the same thing we can shut these guys down. Just take precautions when looking for rentals.
1. Check for the property owner
2. is the price too good to be true, do they offer full utility payments, etc in places where that is not typical.
3. Demand to be shown the property, do not take no for an answer, no showing no deal.
4. Talk to them in person and ask for their references also.
5. Never wire money to anyone that you do not personally know for any reason.
6. Are they using a local number or an out of state number. Be suspicious if they are using an out of state number and ask for a local office number or someway to contact them locally.
7. Look for the same ad with different photos or look for the same photo with a different ad.
8. Another way to find out is by street address Vs lot address. If they tell you the house is 6700 Street Name, and it is actually 6690 then that is also a sign. Lot numbers don’t always line up with street numbers.
I’m sure others have experiences also. Please share and please report these guys even if you do catch them. Good luck!
Hi
I received an email from this guy oliverellefsen@corporate-exxonmobil-thunderhorse.com who claims to have a house in Sunnyvale, CA but is going on 2 yr extended onsite work duty to the Exxon mobil thunderhorse field. Not sure if he is a scammer but he now has my cell number and email id. Should I be concerned?
Thanks for the tip to make sure that the person you are getting the rental from is the owner of the apartment. My fiance and I are looking for a place to live once we are married. We’ll be sure to double-check the background of every place we look at to make sure the person showing us around is legit.
It appears that there are a couple of things to note in this email…
– The property was last sold last year, so the situation they’re describing looks unlikely.
– They’re using a standard template and (sloppily) filling in things like location (in this case, “(NEVADA)”).
– They’re plugging in information from legitimate organizations (in this case, ASCE) to make it seem more legit. I’m not a civil engineer, but I belong to similar professional organizations in my field and after reviewing ASCE’s website, it seems unlikely that they’d fund a contract project. It’s more the kind of organization meant for networking and information, rather than “contract projects”. If you’re unsure, you could always ask them to describe their work. You could also ask the organization (ASCE, for example) to verify their membership. Because I couldn’t find any information about the name they were using online (beyond an obituary from a few years ago), I didn’t really have to go any further before assuming it’s a scam.
– They’re using information pulled directly from its last sale listing, and they don’t include pictures or descriptions beyond what is publicly available on the house listing from its last sale.
Here’s the email…
Thanks for your interest & property is still available for rent. I want a responsible person or family who are neat and also believe that they have all what it takes to take care of the property as if it where there own. Please be informed that I’m renting out the property because I was transferred to (NEVADA) with my lovely family on contract project by American Society of Civil Engineers. (http://www.asce.org/).
American Society of Civil Engineers | ASCE
http://www.asce.org
ASCE Foundation. Making a positive change in our communities is possible… but only if we start now, set our sights high, and work together. Your Foundation!
We wanted to sell the property since we will be staying longer than we though & later my wife advised me not to sell the property anymore. I reasoned with her and accepted her advice so we contacted the agent back and requested for our keys and documents and put it for rent since we will back in the next 4 to 5 years.
We would have given the same agent this job also but the truth of the matter is that the agent was asking too much of an agent fee and also made the rent high. We were not getting the responses we needed so i decided to terminated our contract with them and put it up for rent ourselves. If you notice, you will discover that the price we are offering is far below standard price and this is enough for you to know that we are not after the rental fee but the absolute care for the property. The house is available for as long as you want,which include utilities such as Air Conditioner Dishwasher Walk-in Closet Refrigerator Vaulted Ceilings Washer/Dryer Cable etc.
House address: 9214 Flower Ave Silver Spring, MD 2090
Monthly rent :$900
Refundable Deposit: $900
Bedroom: 3
Bathroom: 2
All utilities are include in the rent.
APPLICATION FORM….
1)Your Full Name________________________
2)Current Address_______________________ __
3)Phone Number (____)Best time to reach you ?
4)State________________
5)City__________________
6) Zip______________
7)Are you married______________________
8)Do you have Kids__________
9)Do you have a pet______________
10)Do you have a car______________________
11)Occupation______________
12)How many people will be living in the house___________
13)A picture of occupant_________________
14)How long lease are you looking for______________
15)How soon do you intend moving in________________
16)Date of Birth________________
17)Numbers of Cars________________
18)If you are ask to make a down payment to secure the house today and take it off market, How much will you be able to pay ____________
19)How soon can you make the Rent/Deposit payment________________
20)How soon do you want to receive the keys/documents________________
============================= = ============== =========
Application Comment
============================== ============== =========
Please make sure this questions are filled correctly because the best way you answer with your comment will impress me the more to accept your application.
Regards……
Got one in Waco, TX…
Thanks for your interest in my property at 2905 Morrow Ave Waco, TX 76707 consisting of 2 bedrooms and 1 bathrooms there’s also an attached Garage the rent is $750 and deposit is $750 so total move in cost it $1500….My name is Mr Thomas Benson and am a native of Waco, TX i inherited this property from my late father whom i made a promise to take good care of it…My family and i have lived there for long and we have been taking good are of it but unfortunately my wife had cancer and we took her to various hospitals here but no changes so i had to transfer her here in (GEORGIA) for treatment because i cannot afford to loose her and my baby cause she’s pregnant so the doctor says she will be fine so she’s under the intensive care unit but the treatment will commence in 8 months and we have to look for money to start the treatment, my wife advised me to rent out my property since we will be staying here for long, i went with the advise and decided to rent it out and it is also available for rent to own depending on how good the applicant is, i initially had it up for sale but had a change of mind in leasing it out ourselves because the agent that was in charge of our rental property was asking too much of an agent fee and also making it difficult for people who cannot afford the rent.
NOTE THAT: Applicants can only drive by the property for now because it’s currently locked up for security reasons and the keys and documents are here wit me due to i have no one to entrust the keys and documents to so if you are interested i will like you to fill out the rental application form below i can be reached at (678) 413-5347.
RENT APPLICATION FORM AND TELL US MORE ABOUT YOU
Applicants Full Name……….
Applicants Cell phone No?………..
Applicants Home Phone No?…………
Applicants Address?……………..
Applicants marital status?……..
Applicants age?………….
Applicants Occupation?…………
Applicants pet policy?……………
Applicants Assets?…………….
Number of Applicants?………
Do You smoke?………..
Do you drink?…………
Do you work late night?…………
How soon do you want to move in?…………….
How many months/year Lease?………………
How soon do you want to receive the keys?…………..
DO YOU HAVE DEPOSIT TO SECURE NOW?……….
How soon can you come up with the security deposit of the property,and how many months upfront can you pay?……..
Please feel free to ask any questions you do not understand and I will be looking forward to receiving your email as soon as possible with all these details…
Bless You.
Thomas Benson & Family.
There’s a bunch in the waco CL 🙁
I just received the exact application, with the exact story, with the exact rent and house description, from a Gus Confalone. Sounded too good to be true, so I did my research. Zumper had removed the listing for possible fraudulent purposes.
July 3rd, 2020
I’ve just had this same experience and I am ANGRY!
Fortunately, I didn’t send any money. They even asked for a picture of the people who would be moving in. I didn’t send that either, but did complete the application with my name and my son’s name. WHAT HAVE I DONE?!!!😡The house was listed in East Orange, NJ at 36 Long Street. Beware in New Jersey
Yes wanted my SS# and a picture of my family. So pissed. I did give name, phone, email and birthdate (and my dog’s name! Luckily not the dog I use for occasional passwords!) so now I am worried I will be victim of ID theft! Mine was in a small town in Wisconsin. I wonder if they just go on every cities CL and post.
Just received this reply from who clearly appears to be a scammer. Common threads seem to be the insistence that working with a realtor is bad lmao. Posting in case anyone else gets a similar one.
“Thanks for the email, I will try as much as possible to explain part of the requirement needed to rent the house, so please take your time to read to avoid addressing the same issue over again.
this property is private owned and the house is mine , My name is KOPICKI,BARBARA, i work as a confidential researcher and i work 3 months on job and 1 month off , usage of phone is prohibited and calls are totally not allowed while working, but if it’s important i can reply your text whenever i have access to the phone and will also try as much as possible to call you whenever i am free to do so .i am renting out the house as a result of my new job here in MI and i am looking for a tenant who will take proper care of my house as if he/she owns it.
I decided to put the house on craigslist personally after i realized the realtor i was working with inflated the rent and making it difficult to get a tenant all because he was greedy and wanted more money off my property, I already took the property off him and i already ordered the removal of his posted adverts and the sign in front of the house, which i am sure will be done very soon. NO REALTOR IS INVOLVED WITH THIS RENTAL.
If you are looking for a “rent to own” option , a 10% refundable option fee is required and this will strictly be a lease option which means if you decide to move out and not buy the house after your lease expires, you get back your option fee.. Option fee and all monthly rent paid also goes towards the total cost of the house whenever you are ready to close.
First month, last month ,security deposit and pet deposit is required once application gets approved and lease agreement is signed. The house has a washer and dryer with hookups , interior is clean and kitchen is well equipped , home is in 100% perfect condition.
THE ADDRESS OF THE PROPERTY IS :
Renting out the house for 1300$ (utilities included are ; water, gas, electricity, and garbage only). A security deposit of 1300$ (refundable) , 300$ per pet.
kindly respond by telling me more about yourself and also let me know if you want to rent only , or rent to own.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE CAPABLE OF PAYING OUTRIGHT FOR A WHOLE YEAR, YOU HAVE BETTER ADVANTAGE OF GETTING THE HOUSE.
thanks “
I was just about to send my security deposit. But, I noticed that the cash app name was fishy. I also said let me look up the number. Then some escort site showed up. So I really got to thinking Ummmm. Then I searched Craigslist Rental Scams. They really had me believing it was them because I asked my realtor to look up there name. Soooo sad. Was packing and everything. Disgusting.
Short and sweet
19737562561 and 7865458081
Advertising property in Kissimmee:
973 756 2561 is a definite scam. He was insisting I send my credit card and license information through an app called Rently. He got upset when I refused.
Foreign accent claiming to be James.
Other sent me a link.
Thank you Carol I was just speaking with him haha he’s offer was to good and oh it felt good when I called him on he’s scam! Thank you thank you!
I am dealing with a scammer now out of Everett WA. Beautiful 3bd 2bath clean home for 1200/mo seems reasonable until they said it includes the utilities. Foreign accent sounds east Indian and said his wife has cancer so they had to move to Virginia and can’t show the place but once I send them 2600$ they will send me the keys they even made up a rental contract. The biggest red flag is there demanding money or securing the property as he kept wording it. Also how the guy acts like its no big deal for me to send thousands of dollars with no way of proving he is the home owner what so ever. This is complete crap