Published 07/29/09
You can’t believe your good fortune—you find a rental home in a nice area through a Craigslist classified ad at an unbelievably low rate. The landlord—who had to leave the country and travel to Nigeria—asks that you wire him two months’ worth of rent. You arrive at the home on the agreed-upon date, but there’s just one small problem—the house is not actually for rent and its owners know nothing about your agreement.
This latest scam being perpetrated by Nigerian criminals located halfway around the world has been seen in a number of U.S. states, perhaps in response to the current housing market—with fewer people buying, more people are renting.
But it’s not really a new scam, just a variation of an old one. In South Carolina, the rental scam problem has become so prevalent that Columbia FBI Special Agent in Charge David Thomas recently issued a warning about it to homeowners and prospective renters, particularly in the Charleston, Columbia, and Hilton Head areas. The scam has also ensnared victims in Rhode Island, Illinois, Colorado, and California, among other states.
How to avoid being victimized:
1. Only deal with landlords or renters who are local;
2. Be suspicious if you’re asked to only use a wire transfer service;
3. Beware of e-mail correspondence from the “landlord” that’s written in poor or broken English; 4. Research the average rental rates in that area and be suspicious if the rate is significantly lower;
5. Don’t give out personal information, like social security, bank account, or credit card numbers.
To learn more: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/july09/housingscam_072909.html
