Scammers once again are trying to rent out homes listed for sale, the National Association of REALTORS® has reported. Even ones that are occupied.
The criminals take pictures off of the MLS listing of houses for sale, copy them and the description of the property verbatim, then list it for rent at eye-catching low prices in internet ads and on Craigslist and other websites. Contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center if you have been victimized.
The issue has resulted in REALTORS® spending valuable time painstakingly scouring to see if a home is for sale or rent and checking tax records so they can tell and prove to their clients it’s a scam. Some REALTORS® go a step further and post on social media the link and note that it is part of a scam.
To avoid one of their listed properties being included in the scam, some REALTORS® have:
- Placed watermark photos of their listed properties in the MLS
- Posted “Not For Rent” signs in the window of vacant properties
- Flagged false listings on Craigslist
- Set up Google Alerts for rental property addresses to monitor duplicative activities
The word “ROOM FOR RENT” in handwrite style
Many REALTORS® are telling prospective renters to rely on authentic real estate sites, not a listing found on social media. They also recommend they heed the following warning signs of a rental scam:
- The person claiming to be the property owner wants payment through Western Union, MoneyGram, credit or debit card, or wire transfer.
- The rent is well below the market rate.
- The prospective renter is not allowed to see the property in person or via a virtual tour.
- The picture of the photo appears to be photoshopped.
