Craigs List Scam
For the past couple of years I have been posting my listings on Craigslist. About a year ago I got a call from a frantic woman who wanted to know if one of my listings was for rent. I told her no, the home is for sale only. She immediately replied that she had been scammed and had fallen for an offer that was "too good to be true"
My for sale listing had been "cloned" by scammers:
1. The address was exactly the same as my for sale listing
2. The text was copied from my listing
3. The photos were copied from my listing
4. The house was vacant
5. The scammers listed the house "for rent" at a below market monthly rental rate.
The lady I talked too had already given the scammers her credit information and social security number. She had not given them any money but suspected identity theft was in process.
This has happened to me a couple of times this year. I have reported the scams to Craigs List. Each time the scam listing was immediately removed.
Sally English and The English Team. Atlanta real estate agents.
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Just found another real estate agent who posted a similar experience on their Active Rain Blog
http://activerain.com/blogsview/697786/craig-s-list-scam-alert
I had this exact same problem, and posted it on my blog to help forewarn other potential victims. It's really alarming to find that individuals so easily fall prey to scam artists in situations like this!
Here is another post about housing scams on Craigslist
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1143277/realtors-beware-new-craigslist-scams-involving-your-listings-
Thanks Sandi, Apparently the scammers have been busy.
Sally:
We (Tri-Lakes REALTORS) were warned last Fall about a similar situation on Craig's list, only the scammers were selling the property! That's here in the Ozarks.
Craigslist can be such a boon to real estate, to bad the bad guys have to ruin it for the rest of us!
Counting down the time till 2010,
Paul
It's amazing how low some people will sink. If you had not indicated that it was vacant, could the scam have been prevented?
Wehave had this happen on two of our listings. Once Craigslist was responsive to take the ad down, but the other time it took them 2 weeks. It is a real nuisance. I have started only posting one photo on CL....not multiple photos as I used to. Not sure that helps, maybe it does.
Sarah in Nashville
Wow, I am amazed how prevalent this scam is. When I wrote the post I was unaware others were being scammed. When I did a search on Active Rain severtal posts popped up as mentioned above!
Jean: That's a new one. I have not seen a post about trying to scam the sell of a house.
Paul: too right, the handful of bad guys ruin it for the rest of us.
Bob: I don't know how to avoid the scam....interesting question. Maybe others will chime in with some ideas.
Sarah: I am surprised Craigslist did not immediately take down both listings.
Best to all!
Sally English
A friend of mine, fellow agent just walked into my office asking why her listing showed up on Craigs List for rent. Her seller is out of the country and I heard of this scam. We have to be diligent in watching out for each other and unsuspecting renters that may be ready to hand over their identity and more to these scurrilous people. Thanks for the post!
My pleasure. Be sure and report the scam to Craigslist
Rolex watch for sale? Looks like you've been spammed right here in AR. It happened on oneof my posts, too.
Bummer.
Thanks Elva. I reported it and then deleleted it.