New Florida Rental Scam on Craigslist

The local Realtor Boards have been advised of a clever new scam on Craigslist. The fraudster copies a legitimate real estate rental ad from Craigslist or from other online sources, and then re-posts the ad on Craigslist with their contact information.

They usually post the rental rate far below what normal market price would be so they attract a lot of interest. They may likely have difficulty actually showing you the property you are interested in, but in some cases, they've actually been able to get access to the house or condo to show it. Once it comes time to rent, they claim to be headed out of town, or need the money right away so they don't rent to someone else and ask that the rental money be sent via FedEx (in cash), Western Union or some other wire service.

Once the funds are sent, the fraudster has free use of the money with little ability for the potential renter (victim) to get it back. Of course, these people do not own the property or represent the owners, they're simply committing fraud, and taking the money and running. Sometimes the funds are sent to the Caribbean, Africa, or Europe... but most folks will not ask you to mail cash or use a wire service for your rent money.

Obviously, a bit of common sense is in order, but apparently, these are professional con-artists and seem pretty convincing.

If the person you're dealing with claims to be a Realtor - ask to see their license and their ID. You can check on the status of ALL Florida Realtors here: http://MyFloridaLicense.com

If you're dealing with someone claiming to be the owner, pull up the tax record for the property and check their ID against the tax record:

Broward:
http://www.bcpa.net/search.asp

Miami-Dade:
http://www.miamidade.gov/pa/property_search.asp

Palm Beach:
http://www.pbcgov.com/papa/aspx/GeneralSearch/GeneralSearch.aspx

If the person you're dealing with claims to be representing the owner, they should have some formal document acknowledging this, like a Power of Attorney... but these are a bit more difficult to verify.

Again, let common sense prevail, and don't fall for the scam just because it sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime deal.

All the best,

--Dr. Branon A. Edwards, ePRO
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker and Mortgage Broker
Direct Phone: 786-417-4910
Private Fax: 786-524-5747
mailto:Branon@InvestFloridaRealty.com

VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
http://www.InvestFloridaRealty.com

VISIT OUR BLOG:
http://www.InvestFloridaRealty.BlogSpot.com

Real Estate Office:
Aqualand Realty, Inc
8359 Stringfellow Road
Saint James City, FL 33956

Mortgage Office:
Mainland Mortgage Corp
351 S. Cypress Rd. Ste. 303A
Pompano Beach, FL 33060