My Craigslist SCAM rant, please join in...

[Charli]

So, we are in between homes right now, got stuff in storage, looking for a home, but the new advantage is now we have internet, no longer have to go by foot as it were.

The internet is suppose to be your friend, send you places, venues of information, listings of homes so that you don't have to spend money on gas and hours of frustrations.

NOT!!!!

Let's talk about CRAIGSLIST for a moment, now while I've been successful in getting all of my packaging boxes, bubble wrap, and selling items on this site, oh my - oh my - oh my, the absolute SCAMS they have going on home rentals is ridiculous.

Unless there's a number to call you can almost be assured it's a scam. I've seen a picture of a home in one city, then another city, then another city. What did they do, Xerox the model home and put it all over the place?

Then I email a few of these, one home would have been perfect downtown LA town home, guy writes back tells me he's out of the country and cannot meet with
meet but has someone who can handle things for him.

DO I LOOK LIKE I WAS BORN STUPID?

I got one who said he was a Preacher in Africa, one in Nigeria, one I think in Aruba. The only thing I can do is 'flag' the listing but sure enough, it's up the next day.

The very thought that someone would fall for this, now I don't want to blame them, but to get suckered into a scheme like this, I just want to punch someone in the nose.

For selling, never had a problem with Craigslist, nor for buying items.

But to rent a home - Goood Lord almighty, what a piece of crap. Yes I tried west side rentals, found nothing.

Bad Kharma Craigslist for allowing such a thing, bad kharma indeed!

 

[rafikiwilliams]

any of them look something like this:

Hello,

It is a great pleasure that to you are interested in my Home, Thanks for your email and I am very glad having receive an email from you regarding my Home. I am Racheal Bailey I am the very owner of the House you are making inquiry of. Actually we resided in this particular House with the entire family, such as my Lovely Wife and our Three children, before and presently we packed due to an emergency transfer from my working place to make due to the increase in the production of attires / fabric productions and this transfer is a temporary but will last for at least 53months (4years+), right now we situated in the (West Africa Region) and presently our House is still available for rent. (Utilities also Included). I want you to know that the House is Unfurnished, so you can move into the House with your own Personal furniture but the Utilities are intact such as Water, Sewer, Garbage, Cable ready etc. Facilities also include: Dishwasher, Dryer, Electric Stove, Fridge, Vinyl floors, Kitchen pantry, Washer etc. This House is also in a Conducive Area and has good Neighborhood. All kind of Pets are Allowed with no extra Deposit and 2garage parking space available.

RENTAL FEATURES:
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2 ½
Type: House.
Rent: $700
Security Deposit : $400

Home Address: 2441 Bloomfield Ave
City: Roanoke
State: VA
Zipcode: 24012

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF

Full Name__________________________________________________
Home Phone ( )________________________
Date of Birth_________________________________
Other Phone ( )___________________
Current Address_______________________________Apt#________ City__________________ State______ Zip________
Reasons for Leaving____________________________Rent $__________Phone ( )____________________________
Which of the Above Phone # can u be reach at anytime: ( )__________________
Best Time to Call You: ___________________
Are you married____________________________
How many people will be living in the house____________________________
Do you have a pet____________________________
Do you have a car____________________________
Occupation____________________________
monthly income? ____________________________
How Long You Want the Lease? ____________________________
Move In Date____________________________
When do you intend receive the keys & document of the house________________
When do you intended sending the deposit___________________________
Have You Gone to See The House Yet? ________________

Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that i can have it in my file incase of issuing the receipt for you and contacting you. Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the document and the key to you, please we are giving you all this base on trust and again i will want you to stick to your words, you know that, we have not seen each other yet, so i am only putting everything into Gods hand, so please do not let me down in any way, this our property and God bless you more as you do this. Please note than you are free to go by the house and see the exterior and surroundings of it at this time, but you will have access to look at the interior once i have sent the keys & essential documents of the house to you. I will like you to know that the requirement for getting the keys and documents of the house to you is a full refundable fee of $400 USD, which serve as the Security Deposit. Please note that the deposit made is fully refundable should in case you finally gain entrance into the house after receiving the keys and documents and feel unsatisfied or uncomfortable with the interior, but i am giving you a benefit of doubt that you will love everything about this lovely home...

I Await your response so that we can discuss on how to get the document and the keys to you.

You can call me on +234-7060425913 OR 011234-7060425913

Thanks and you are welcome.

GOD BLESS YOU

 

[Brickhouse]

Ebay has the same problem with laptops. Or had, anyway.

 

[rafikiwilliams]

just got another one in my email.

Hello,
Thanks for your interest regarding our House. The 2 bedroom is still available for rent, we renting this house to a responsible and neat person or family who has the fear of God and treat the house as his or her own. Well our house has been for sale before my wife advices me to put it out for rent that’s why we put it out for rent.

The main reason why the house is for rent is that I got transfer from my place of work to West africa to preach the gospel to the unbelieve's and even reaching out good things to the orphanage children, and I will be away for good 3 years or more that is the main reason I had to take my family along with me, and we cant leave the house for 3 good years, that’s why we really want good people that can take very good care of the house so that we will be very happy when we get back home and we will still be good family friends, so if you are interested in taking good care of our house, then my family will be ready in accepting you as our new tenant who be fully in charge of our house. If you really impress us by taking good care of our house then you will be allowed to stay as long as you wish okay.....This 2 bedrooms and 2 baths is very specious and is 1,500 Square Feet.


Below is our address of the House:
ADDRESS:Glen Valley Terrace,Frederick, MD 21701
Pets Allowed: Yes (Dog Cat)
Monthly Rent: $600
Security Deposit: $600 (Refundable)

Rental/Lease Spouse Full Names:
Rental/Lease Kids Full Names:
Rental/Lease Relatives or Friends Full Name:
Rental/Lease Mobile/Cell Number:
Rental/Lease Telephone Number:
Rental/Lease Present House Address:
Rental/Lease Present Work place name and Address:
Rental/Lease Present work Tel. Number:
Rental/Lease Numbers of Cars:
Rental/Lease Pet type:
Rental/Lease proposed date of Move in:
Rental/Lease months budget to deposit before move in:
Rental/Lease Reference contact info:
Rental/Lease present Landlord Contact Info:

So get back to us on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting. Hope you are okay with the price of US$600/month with heat laundry facilities, air condition, Etc... and the security deposit fee is $600... PETS ARE FULLY WELCOME! We are looking forward to hear from you ASAP. Stay Blessed.

Regards
Amanda J Eskut

 

[mainstreetprod]

Solution is to use a Realtor or property mgr to find a rental. Go to the web page for your local MLS and you'll find a rental section.

 

[Mike Harvey]

We've done stories before were there really was a unit for rent, but someone posing as the owner or property manager put the add up. So when the new tenants check out the place (I have no idea how the scammer actually got keys) and like it, they cut the first/last/damage and begin moving in.

Imagine the real owners' surprise when they rent out the place and find someone already living there.

 

[Charli]

Raf - EXACTLY like that with the most interesting endearing stories of how they are helping the poor and impoverished in this world and can't be there for the listing.

In Texas we'd say B.S.

We've called relators, but I do remember back in the day in Texas, there were agents who specialized just in renting. I don't think you even need a license for that.

Man, that first town home would have been the bomb, exact price, exact bedrooms, exact room, too bad it was a scam.

Hubby and I can easily afford a 1 bed/1 bath situation, that's not the issue, the issue is that son lost job, lost schooling, lost his girl, so now we have to pull together as a family to make it work.

Be so much easier in Texas where things are so much cheaper, but we can't afford the move there yet we can afford the housing without a blink and not work.

Irony.

God help us find something. We are running out of time and money so good thoughts people my way.

And as far as those scams are concerned, they will one day get their comeuppance!