Over the past few weeks, we have been searching for the perfect rental home for us to move into, but sadly we have come across many Craigslist rental scams. We found many great homes, and actually signed a lease the other day on one (more information on that to come soon).
Even though we found a rental home, we came across many Craigslist scams and Craigslist rental scams firsthand.
I only received around 10 emails back from potential landlords and three of those I knew were definitely scammers. There might have been others as well.
Due to this, I knew I had to create a post on the topic of rental scams.
You can find rental scams everywhere (Craigslist, Zillow, and more), and many people are duped every single day out of hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars.
P.S. If you are looking for a rental, your credit score can be extremely important. You can check your credit score with Credit Sesame for free here.
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Below are several Craigslist rental scams that you should be aware of.
There are cases where the person might not actually be a scammer, but you should be on high alert if you decide to continue through with a potential rental that you are unsure about.
Some scams that you may come across include:
- Craigslist rental scams
- Craigslist apartment scams
- Craigslist housing scams
- Rent31 scam
- Lisarooms scam
- My3rentals scam
1. They are showing you the home, but do they actually own it?
One of the many Craigslist rental scams I have been hearing about a lot lately is when a scammer seems legitimate and even shows you around the rental. You might believe they are the landlord since they somehow got into the rental, but that isn’t always the case.
Sometimes scammers will break into a back window or even steal the key from the actual landlord so they can show the rental to unsuspecting potential tenants. This can be a huge disaster, as many people will believe the scammer since they are pretending to be the landlord.
Another Craigslist scam I have heard about that is related to this is when a renter moves into a home, pays the deposit, rent, etc., only to find out weeks or months later that the actual owner is at their door. The owner might have been on a long vacation or they might have just let the home sit vacant while trying to sell it, and thieves noticed their absence only to take advantage of the situation. This can be bad as you will have to vacate immediately and you will be out of money, such as the refundable deposit you may have given to the scammer.
My rental search tip: Always make sure the person renting out the home is the owner or the property manager. You can usually do a simple search on who owns the property by looking up city records. You also may be able to call the building’s manager (if there is one) and ask if the apartment is for rent and who is renting it.
2. A rental that seems too good to be true is often one of the many Craigslist rental scams.
This is how some rental scammers try to lure you in. They will create a listing, make the rental sound amazing, offer it at a very low price, not require money upfront, and so on.
This is a clue that you might be the victim of a Craigslist scam. If the landlord makes it too easy for you to live in their rental, then you need to be very careful. Scammers are often hoping that someone will be caught up in a “great deal” and come running to them with cash.
My rental search tip: Always do your research before you give anyone money. You should check other listings in the area to see if the rental is comparable and you should also see if the place is actually for rent. In most cases, it is not.
Here’s one Craigslist scam email I received (I actually received this response for two different rentals I inquired about):
3. A scammer wants your information or money before you view the home.
If you are asked to fill out a rental application before you view a home, then you might be in the middle of one of the many Craigslist rental scams. The scammer is hoping that you will give them personal information, such as your bank account number, social security number, or something else. They will then disappear once they receive all of this information. This is a bad situation because you basically just gave your identity away.
Also, if you are asked to give money before you are allowed to view a home, then something is not right. This is most definitely a scam and you should avoid it. You should never have to pay loads of money in order to just view a home.
My rental search tip: You should always do your research, view the home, and more before you give out any extremely personal information. Occasionally, you may have to give your ID to the landlord, but other than that they should not need anything from you just to show you the rental house or apartment.
Here’s another Craigslist rental scam e-mail I received. This person sent me two e-mails so I just copied and pasted both e-mails into one so that you can easily read them both:
4. The landlord’s email has been compromised – Big Craigslist housing scams!
One scary Craigslist rental scam I recently heard about is when all of the information in a rental listing is correct. The home is actually for rent, the e-mail and phone number are real, and more.
However, when you e-mail the landlord you believe you are actually talking to them. It turns out that you are actually talking to someone who hacked into their e-mail. This can be a scary Craigslist scam as it can be hard to detect.
My rental search tip: Even though this Craigslist rental scam seems difficult, it can be easy to overcome. You should contact the landlord via the phone number that is listed on the real listing and talk to a real person. Then, you should verify everything that was discussed in the e-mails. Most of the time, landlords have no idea that their e-mail address was even hacked.
There are many different things to be aware of when looking for a rental online. Here are my general tips before falling for Craigslist housing scams or Craigslist apartment scams:
- Always make sure the person showing the home is the landlord or property manager.
- If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
- Be careful with your personal information, so that you are not the victim of identity theft.
- If anyone ever asks you to wire money, you should not. Most scammers will ask for money to be wired and this should be your first red flag that something is not right. Keep in mind that if you wire money, you CANNOT get it back. Too many people think you can get wired money back.
- Does the listing and/or e-mail communication with the “landlord” have many misspellings? Does the e-mail refer to you as Sir or Madam? Do they say they are out of the country and cannot show you the home until you pay? Do they claim to be a missionary or a reverend? If any of these are true, then this is usually the sign of a scammer.
- Always trust your gut instinct as there are always other places to rent in the world.
What Craigslist rental scams and Craigslist apartment scams have you seen or heard about? Have you ever been the victim of any type of scam?
P.S. There are over 150 comments below (you may have to click “« Older Comments” to see all of them), and many of you have been sharing your Craigslist rental scam stories and screenshots of exact emails. Let's continue to help one another out, thank you!
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What Craigslist rental scams and Craigslist apartment scams have you seen or heard about? Have you ever been the victim of any type of scam?
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I gave the “owner” my personal informations like address, name, phone no. and photo of Drivers License but when I talked him over the phone, I just realized his voice is kinda weird and he is not a missionary for sure.
Subject: Re: Stunning 1 bedroom condo &Gas Range & Dishwasher, &Washer & Drye
8
Hello,
Thanks for your email. I’m John Taylor, the owner of the Apartment you are renting. Actually I resided in the apartment with my family for some months and we moved away due to my transfer from my working place, my apartment is still available for rent for $800 per month including the utilities like washer and security, it is furnished. Right now I’m in West Africa for a crusade and I would like you to get in touch with my wife in the United states for more discussion as she is with the keys and the documents to the apartment. Please I want you to note that, I am a kind and honest man and also I spent a lot on my property, so I will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this apartment and I want you to treat it as your own. I want you to keep it tidy all the time so that I will be glad to see it neat when I come for a check up, I do that once in a while. I want to have trust in you as I always stand by my words. Let us know how soon you are willing to move in. Email my wife Marie { keyaptss501@gmail.com } and she will attend to you better.
ADDRESS TO THE APARTMENT: 355 S Arroyo Dr,San Gabriel, CA 91776
Thanks for your interest.
John Taylor
Hey Alice,
We should chat. It’s very possible we were both conned by the same person (or group) in the LA housing market. I responded to a listing back in May (2018) for a below-market-value unit in Mar Vista, sent a rental App (which included by SSN and Employer Info) … and later wound up speaking to the individual over the phone. I realized pretty much immediately that it was a scam — and the person was using a fake accent, or just really didn’t speak english.
A few weeks back, the Identity Theft hit (and it hit hard). Bank accounts, my USPS mailing address, tons of crap. It’s been terrible. I’ve been in contract with the LAPD + their financial crims dept. — and have a similar Gmail thread with the fraudulent listing owner. I’m convinced they’ve hit several people in the LA market.
If you’d like to chat — let me know. Thanks!
-Mark
Mark,
I’m sorry to hear that….
Fortunately I didn’t give them SSN but only the photo of Driver’s License.
Hope there’s no way to use my infos… 🙁
I received the same John Taylor email and it seemed fishy so I googled, found this post, and am glad I haven’t filled anything out yet! Thanks!
Hi Alice,
I encountered the same kind of scammer in the bay area, I didn’t have a chance to give them my info yet as I just responded to a craigslist ad.I knew it was fishy when in the response to my initial email the respondent did not include the original ad, which was taken down from craigslist. So it’s a good idea to periodically check the ad to see if it was taken down for being spam. The email went as follows:
“Hello,
Thanks for your email. I’m John Taylor, the owner of the Apartment you are renting. Actually I resided in the apartment with my family for some months and we moved away due to my transfer from my working place, my apartment is still available for rent for $815 per month including the utilities like washer and security, it is furnished. Right now I’m in Mississippi for construction work and I would like you to get in touch with my wife in the United states at the moment too, for more discussion as she is with the keys and the documents to the apartment. Please I want you to note that, I am a kind and honest man and also I spent a lot on my property, so I will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this apartment and I want you to treat it as your own. I want you to keep it tidy all the time so that I will be glad to see it neat when I come for a check up, I do that once in a while. I want to have trust in you as I always stand by my words. Let us know how soon you are willing to move in. Email my wife Marie { keyaptss501@gmail.com} and she will attend to you better.
ADDRESS TO THE APARTMENT: 2004 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704
Thanks for your interest.
John Taylor”
After reading this article I know for sure I have been scam for my information. The email sent to me is very similar.
We appreciate your interest and inquiries about our house…Am sorry for late response i was so busy with work i hope you understand..Yes the house is still available for rent and we are looking for a responsible person/family to occupy and maintain the house now that we are out of town..We just moved to Ohio for a program called Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and I’m here with the house keys and documents..Before we left, i tried to look for an Agent/Management but i couldn’t get any in time..The program is taking place in three major countries in Switzerland, Singapore and the state we are right now in Ohio…We will be here for 5 to 6 years or more that is why I have made up my mind to put up my house for rent to whoever that will take good care of it…Let me start by introducing myself My name is Charles Brown,.I am hearing impaired and I must confess I am very new in this landlord business. However, I own the house located at (235 Coronado Ave APT 4, Long Beach, CA 90803 ), the initial plan was to sell the house but sometimes the Realtor inflates the price and it takes longer to sell,because of this reason we have decided to rent out the house to a responsible tenant in a affordable rent that can take very good care of the property as we are not after the money, we want it to be clean and tidy at all time. Pets are allowed as long as they are not destructive..
Also how long do you intend to stay?
How soon do you intend to move in?
DETAILS ABOUT THE HOUSE
Address:235 Coronado Ave APT 4, Long Beach, CA 90803
Numbers of bedrooms: 1
Number of bathrooms: 1
Monthly Rent: $1,075
Security Deposit: $600
Total move in cost: $1,675
Pet: Acceptable with no pet deposit in as much as they are not destructive
Utilities are included in the rent.
You can drive-by to view the outside and neighborhood of the house and get
back to me asap and If you are really interested in renting my home then
answer the rental application..I attached it along with the pics of the
house. You can get back to me to my number (669) 209-6837
Regards,
Charles
One of the emails I receieved. I knew about this scam before hand and googled the address. The home is for sale and I have already contacted a realitor. This is a similar format to 2 other homes I am intrested in.
Good Morning,
I hope this finds you happy, healthy and well today. I personally own the house, I want my property to be well taken good care of, and there are some rules and regulation in which I do give out to tenant willing to rent my house so please don’t disrespect my order, But if you are still capable of renting my house the rules and regulation goes this way, You must keep my house clean including the surrounding, you must know the way in which you use the stove so as to avoid fire outbreak, you must not disturb the neighbor. I decided to rent out the property due to my transfer to ( Cincinnati, OH ), with (WHO) World Health Organization(WHO)… WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. Don’t be a surprise if you find the home with another site and deference price, I have the plan to rent it through Real estate before, but they are not serious simply because they have a lot of house to lease out And they added some money to the rent while their commission is not fair.
Have this in mind you must know the kind of person that I’m nevertheless I am giving you this rules because of what corresponded between me and my last tenant. the keys and documents are with us here in ( Cincinnati, OH ). So I will need to ship them to you before you can occupy the house But you can drive by the house any time to take a look at the area and surrounding, You can also peek through the windows if you don’t mind. For now, we are looking for 3 or 4 years lease or rather lets us know how long you wish to stay. All included in the monthly rent, as I am in a governmental programmer that sponsors my utilities on a monthly basis etc. Please note that we are a kind and honest family, that spent a lot on property that is available for rent, so in one accord, we are soliciting for your absolute maintenance of this house and want you to treat it as your own. We want you to keep it tidy all the time so that we shall be glad to see it whenever we are around on a visit.
Home Address: 703 Saint Anne Ave, Christmas, FL 32709
Rent: $700
Refundable security Deposit:$700
Total move in $1400
Pets are welcome!!!
All Utilities are included in the rent
Dishwasher, Dryer, Electric Stove
Fridge, Washer, Air Condition
Sewage, Trash
Text or call 775-468-3473
RENT APPLICATION
——————————————————-
1)Your Full Name______________________________
2)Your Full Address & Phone Number______________________________
3)Marital Status?___________________________________________
4)How many people will be living in the house_________________________
5)Do you have a pet______________________________
6)Do you have a car______________________________
7)Occupation______________________________
8)When will you like to move in?_____________________________
9)How long are you willing to stay in the property________________
10)Picture of the occupant If Available____________________________
11)When are you ready to Move In?________________
12)How Many Months are you willing to rent?________________
13) How many months rent can you pay upfront? Minimum ( 1month +
SECURITY DEPOSIT ) or ( 2 months + SECURITY DEPOSIT ), so which option
do you prefer ??? ________________
14)EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE OF DEPOSIT PAYMENT:______
Looking forward to hearing back from you with all these details so that I can have them in my file in case of issuing your rent payment receipt to you and for contacting you. Your quick response will be highly appreciated so that we can discuss how to get the documents and the keys of my property to you via Express Delivery Services.
May GOD bless you and your family.
Yours Sincerely.
Crazy mine is similar (Thanks for getting back to me regarding my house,It gives me great joy to know that you are interested in my lovely house,I am Rev. Sean Mcclelland, the owner of the house you are making inquiry of. Presently my house is still available for rent and ready for immediately occupancy for just $1200 (rent already includes utilities).. I am sure you would be asking yourself why my rent is low, that’s because I am not too keen about the amount in renting the place out but to whom I am renting the house out to take great care of it and I have put the house up for sale before now but had to change my mind as my wife is not OK with us selling the house so my intention is to rent my house to someone that is responsible and be ready to take great care of the house as if it were his or her own, that is why the rent is low. and I plan to rent it through Real estate, but they are not serious simply because they have a lot of property to lease out and they also put our house in a higher rate while there commission is not fair. I am very certain that you would love the comfy of the house. The house is available for 3 years for now but you can live there to the period of time you wish and you can also move out as long as you can, you just need to inform me a month before you live so that I can look for another tenant like you do.
I would like you to know that I am giving this house out for rent because I have been transferred to EAST AFRICA on a Missionary Work by my church. My wife came here to join me with my kids after some months I was transfer because My Father is ill and my brother’s have take him to Argentina for surgery. and if not because of this, I wouldn’t have been renting the house out because me and my family resides in the house and we love it so much. I would like you to complete the tenant application form below and please be honest with the details to enable us choose the right tenant. I can be reach here and you can call or text anytime (970)984-8602.
This is the address of the house (5160 Nestle Ave,Tarzana, CA 91356)
It has a dramatic entry foyer with ceramic floor. Extremely spacious rooms throughout. Nice and light! Very quiet, low traffic area. I believe its absolutely a perfect place for you and your family. Utilities include Electric, Water, Trash,Sewer, Gas Etc….
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms:3
2,000 sqft
Pets are welcome!!!
SO COMPLETE THE TENANT RENTAL APPLICATION FORM BELOW IF YOU REALLY INTERESTED IN RENTING:)
This was before he ask me to money Gram him 2200 deposit before receiving paperwork or keys
(Thanks for getting back to me regarding my house,It gives me great joy to know that you are interested in my lovely house,I am Rev. Sean Mcclelland, the owner of the house you are making inquiry of. Presently my house is still available for rent and ready for immediately occupancy for just $1200 (rent already includes utilities).. I am sure you would be asking yourself why my rent is low, that’s because I am not too keen about the amount in renting the place out but to whom I am renting the house out to take great care of it and I have put the house up for sale before now but had to change my mind as my wife is not OK with us selling the house so my intention is to rent my house to someone that is responsible and be ready to take great care of the house as if it were his or her own, that is why the rent is low. and I plan to rent it through Real estate, but they are not serious simply because they have a lot of property to lease out and they also put our house in a higher rate while there commission is not fair. I am very certain that you would love the comfy of the house. The house is available for 3 years for now but you can live there to the period of time you wish and you can also move out as long as you can, you just need to inform me a month before you live so that I can look for another tenant like you do.
I would like you to know that I am giving this house out for rent because I have been transferred to EAST AFRICA on a Missionary Work by my church. My wife came here to join me with my kids after some months I was transfer because My Father is ill and my brother’s have take him to Argentina for surgery. and if not because of this, I wouldn’t have been renting the house out because me and my family resides in the house and we love it so much. I would like you to complete the tenant application form below and please be honest with the details to enable us choose the right tenant. I can be reach here and you can call or text anytime (970)984-8602.
This is the address of the house (5160 Nestle Ave,Tarzana, CA 91356)
It has a dramatic entry foyer with ceramic floor. Extremely spacious rooms throughout. Nice and light! Very quiet, low traffic area. I believe its absolutely a perfect place for you and your family. Utilities include Electric, Water, Trash,Sewer, Gas Etc….
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms:3
2,000 sqft
Pets are welcome!!!
SO COMPLETE THE TENANT RENTAL APPLICATION FORM BELOW IF YOU REALLY INTERESTED IN RENTING:))
I got this email today. The rent price is too good to be true, so I googled rent scam in my area and I found this article.
Thank you so much for the info. So glad I found it before giving out my personal info.
This is in Virginia Beach, VA.
APPLICATION FORM
1.) Your full Name?______________________________
2.) Your full address & mobile number / home #?______________________________
3.) Marital Status / DOB?___________________________________________
4.) How many people will be living in the house and Names of people moving in with you?
_________________________
5.) Length of previous tenancy and occupation of each person move in with you?
______________________________
6.) Do you have a car / Do you have a pet? Please describe Breed, size______________________________
7.) Are you a section 8 applicant?__________________
8.) Do you run a business from home, If so what kind of business?___________________
9.) How often do you do your current house cleaning?___________________
10.) When will you like to move in?_____________________________
11.) How long are you willing to stay in the property?________________
12.) When are you ready to Move In, please write exact move in date?________________
13.) How many months rent can you pay upfront? Minimum ( 1 month +
SECURITY DEPOSIT ) or ( 2 months + SECURITY DEPOSIT ), so which option
do you prefer ??________________
14.) Earliest possible date of deposit?_____________
15.) Can we trust you and our house safe keeping in your hand?_______________________
16.) If you are ask to make a down payment to secure the house today and take it off market, How much will you be able to pay:__________?
17.) Do you work late night and do you smoke and drink? (We just wanna know don’t get it twisted) no hard feelings.
18.) REFERENCE?__________________Scan a copy of your passport and Driver License
=================
19.) Applicant Comment:
=================
Looking forward to hear from you and Please have this in mind that you are talking to a very nice and God fearing family, if you find any of our question inconvenience please don’t be offended but answer it because we want and like to know the kind of family that will be living in our house from day one so nothing from them will be strange to us again.
thank you
Hey guys,
Coming from New England here in the expensive, tax-ridden state of Massachusetts! My spouse and I actually had two craigslist scammers contact us in the same pity-party/sob story that seems to be popular amongst many of us here (one was actually this morning). One scammer claimed to work for a Catholic ministry in a different state, and the other a Christian who was working with this benign Christian organization we’ve never heard about — we are Christians ourselves and typically know what organizations there are out there. I contacted the Catholic one (didn’t bother with the Christian since I knew it was weird anyways) and told the scammer. Next thing I know, the posting was removed. Just this past morning, I told the “Christian” scammer I was flagging him — then gave some appropriate two cents of my own… in the Christian way, of course lol Immediately, the posting was removed. Both scammers, however, requested my regular email address and would not send any information if they did not have my email. But, they obviously had my email since I used it to reply to them…? That was off-putting. I figured they wanted an alternate email just so they would not be tracked with their craigslist email if they got caught. Then they got back to me with an email from another server… figures.
What astounds me is the fact they use the same type of pattern to try and lure you and from many different locations, it seems — I mean, good for us. But it is unfortunate that it can be so easily dismissed by many.
Just wanted to chime in and share!
Kati
Hi all,
I’ve seen replies that say that they have been victims and some have been warned not to do anything. I, for one, has become a recent victim and I am worried that they are going to use my personal information (as well as my mother’s/sisters’) to do whatever they want.
What are the next steps other than getting identity theft protection and informing Craigslist that this particular ad is a scam? Do I inform my local police dept., my credit reporting agencies (or is this communication only after I’ve been hacked?), etc.?
Please advise on how to move forward from here is greatly appreciated.
Mercedes
Got this, and i figured it was too good to be true. They keep hitting me up every day asking if im still interested.
“Hello,
This beautiful home is still available for rent and ready to move in 260 Clearwood Ave, Riverside, CA 92506 4 beds 2 baths 2,037 sqft rent $1700 security deposit $1500 pets allowed.
You need to drive by the home,sorry just moved closer to wife due she was diagnose calvical cancer in Los Angeles,CA you can go by to view the house and and get back to me, am at the hospital right, she is battling cancer, pls say prayers for her.All appliances are included
How many adults,kids and pets will be moving in? how long do you plan living in the house? i don’t want moving in and moving out, i want long term stay a least start
with 1 year lease with an option to renew it.
This home located in safe and quiet area good to raise the kids,do you have good credit,rental history,pay-stub and reference?i do have the keys her with me, if
everything work out for both of us i can overnight the keys and papers to you.
Norma L Platt “
Crazy how similar they are this email was sent as a reply to property I inquired about on Craigslist ….
((Thanks for getting back to me regarding my house,It gives me great joy to know that you are interested in my lovely house,I am Rev. Sean Mcclelland, the owner of the house you are making inquiry of. Presently my house is still available for rent and ready for immediately occupancy for just $1200 (rent already includes utilities).. I am sure you would be asking yourself why my rent is low, that’s because I am not too keen about the amount in renting the place out but to whom I am renting the house out to take great care of it and I have put the house up for sale before now but had to change my mind as my wife is not OK with us selling the house so my intention is to rent my house to someone that is responsible and be ready to take great care of the house as if it were his or her own, that is why the rent is low. and I plan to rent it through Real estate, but they are not serious simply because they have a lot of property to lease out and they also put our house in a higher rate while there commission is not fair. I am very certain that you would love the comfy of the house. The house is available for 3 years for now but you can live there to the period of time you wish and you can also move out as long as you can, you just need to inform me a month before you live so that I can look for another tenant like you do.
I would like you to know that I am giving this house out for rent because I have been transferred to EAST AFRICA on a Missionary Work by my church. My wife came here to join me with my kids after some months I was transfer because My Father is ill and my brother’s have take him to Argentina for surgery. and if not because of this, I wouldn’t have been renting the house out because me and my family resides in the house and we love it so much. I would like you to complete the tenant application form below and please be honest with the details to enable us choose the right tenant. I can be reach here and you can call or text anytime (970)984-8602.
This is the address of the house (5160 Nestle Ave,Tarzana, CA 91356)
It has a dramatic entry foyer with ceramic floor. Extremely spacious rooms throughout. Nice and light! Very quiet, low traffic area. I believe its absolutely a perfect place for you and your family. Utilities include Electric, Water, Trash,Sewer, Gas Etc….
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms:3
2,000 sqft
Pets are welcome!!!
SO COMPLETE THE TENANT RENTAL APPLICATION FORM BELOW IF YOU REALLY INTERESTED IN RENTING:))
Then I was asked for a $2200 deposit by MoneyGram to send to Kenya before I see the property or get the keys
Yikes. I knew as soon as I got a similar email here in Orlando that it was a scam.
Thanks for your response. I will look forward to working with you and i hope you become the right tenant for us as we need responsible people to take good care of the house. We also need serious applicants so we can move forward with the rental process.
I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATION FORM BELOW:
RENT APPLICATION FORM.
Name (First name/ Middle name/Surname ) : __________?
Phone # : __________?
E-mail : __________?
Best time to call : __________?
How many proposed occupants : __________?
List of all occupants with approximate age : __________?
Present Address : __________?
City/State : __________?
Will you have pets : __________?
Please describe breed, size : __________?
Personality of pet : __________?
Preferred move in date : __________?
Intended length of lease: __________?
How much deposit can you put down today to secure the home for yourself : __________?
Length of previous tenancy : __________?
Present occupation : __________?
Do you run a business from home : __________?
If so what kind of business : __________?
Do you work late night : __________?
Do you smoke : __________?
Do you drink : __________?
Please feel free to ask any questions you do not understand and I will be looking forward to receive your email as soon as possible. As I am not around to show the inside, you can go check out the house and the neighborhood from the outside and get back to me if you really like it for more information. Respond as soon as you can so we can get this process started.
You can text or call me anytime for more inquiries on 203-701-9467
Regards and remain blessed.
Another thing that’s a giveaway to a scam rental posting is if there are any photos showing a realtor watermark or logo in corner. These are photos posted on the realtor sites (MLS) and are marked by the realtor board that belong to. It’s illegal to use these photos anywhere other than the MLS with this marked. If it’s a realtor listing on Craigslist you’ll see their license number and can verify it first with the local real estate board.
Below is a response email I received~and the ad had one pic with the watermark on it. I didn’t notice the watermark until I went back and looked at it after reviewing this letter. As you can see there is strange phrasing regarding dirt and in other areas of this response. Unusual “Off” grammar and phrasing another telltale indicator.
Finally- I had answered some of these questions in my first inquiry to the ad which also tells me they aren’t really reading the inquiry and just after personal info.
EMAIL:
Hello there,
Thanks for your interest in our lovely home, we want responsible adults/family who are neat and also have what it takes to take care of our house as if it were theirs.. We will be very pleased if we have the opportunity in showing you around my house, The home is currently in move in ready condition.
Property Information:
Single Family Residential House
419 East Francis Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262
The monthly rent is $1650 and the refundable security deposit is $1650. Pets are allowed and utilities (water,sewer, and trash only) are also included in the rent. Pets are also allowed in the home as long as they are home broken and their shots received regularly too.
I will be very happy to find the right tenant for my home, a person who does not tolerate anything that has to do with dirt. I would love to learn more information about you, your renting experience and how long you intend to rent our home, date would you want to move in if everything goes well.
Do let me know if I should email the rental application form for you via email to fill for review and approval if you qualify as a potential our tenant for our home.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Regards,
Johan D & Family
Just received this email that i inquired about 3 days ago.. Good thing i did my research!
Hello Dear,
Thanks for your interest and inquiries about my apartment. Yes the apartment is still available for rent and we are looking for a responsible person/family to occupy and maintain the apartment now that i am not around. i just traveled to Crason city NV for a program called SERVING IN MISSION (SIM),you can view the link for more info: (https://www.sim.org/about ). i will be away for 3 to 5 years or more that is why I have made up my mind to put up my apartment for rent to whom ever that will take good care of it. However, my initial plan was to sell my apartment but it was not successful because the Realtor raised the price which made it difficult for me to sell before leaving , It has already been taken off the market as for sale so there is no need to contact any Realtor. My wife advice’s we take the rent low due to the fact we seek responsible occupant and we are not after the money but a proper maintenance of my property . I want you to understand that I spent a lot on my property that you have requested to rent, so I will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this apartment and would want you to treat it as your own because cleanliness they say is next to Godliness. It is not all about the money to be paid on rent or spent; it is all about a good maintenance culture which I want you to adopt on the property. I want you to keep it tidy all the time so that I would be full of smiles whenever I come and above all, a good, strong and tight relationship between us when I come for a check up. Please one more thing, I wouldn’t like to have any benefit of trust in you because I want to stand in your words that the property would be well taken care of all the time. I believe you have seen how lovely it is if from only the pictures you saw in my posting compare to the 100% comfort to be derived from it as you are an occupant.
FEATURES : Laundry, Electric Range, Electric Heat,Car park.
AMENITIES: Air Conditioning, Deck, Cable TV, Ceiling Fans, 24 hours Internet service,Dishwasher, Garbage Disposal, Microwave, security alarm, Pets Friendly, Refrigerator,Washer / Dryer.
Rental Price: $750 per month and security Deposit is $450 (Security Deposit is Refundable) Utilities included in monthly rent.
Here is the address to the:14082 Edwards St #202Westminster, CA 92683, USA
Bedroom:2
Bathroom:2
I may not be returning to the apartment because we plan buying another apartment upon arrival. For more inquiries.
SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATION FORM BELOW:
RENT APPLICATION FORM.
Name (First name/ Middle name/Surname ) : __________?
Phone numbers (home,cell and office line ) # :__________?
E-mail :__________?
Best time to call :__________?
Marital Status:__________?
How many proposed occupants :__________?
List all in addition to yourself including approx age :__________?
Present Address :__________?
City/State :__________?
Will you have pets :__________?
Please describe Breed, size :__________?
Personality of pet :__________?
Preferred move in date :__________?
Intended length of lease:__________?
Do you agree to pay the payment before you move in:__________?
Earliest possible date of deposit payment:__________?
Length of previous tenancy :__________?
Present occupation :__________?
Do you work late night :__________?
Do you smoke :__________?
Do you drink :__________?
Looking forward to hearing back from you with all this details so that i can have them in my file in case of issuing your rent payment receipt to you and for contacting you. Your quick response will be highly appreciated so that we can discuss on how to get the documents and the keys of my property to you via Express Delivery Services and You may drive by to view the building and its living environment. May GOD bless you and your family.Thanks
I received the same email, just wondering if the email is also the same.. does it end in 65@hotmail?
The same happen to my someone named Mac Lester with the same form in Fullerton, CA. I actually talked to the guy and he had a heavy accent and he wanted me to wire him the money without even seeing the place horrible.
(970)984-8602 this is the number they are calling from
This is what I received. We even went and looked at the house. Finally looked it up and it was listed for a much higher price.
Thanks for your interest in my house. My house is still available for rent and is located at 116 Kendale St,Bowling Green, KY 42103 quite and safe, I’m looking for a responsible person/family to occupy and maintain the house now that i am not around. I just traveled to London for a program called SERVING IN MISSION (SIM), you can view the link for more info: (http://www.sim.org/index.php/content/our-purpose).
I will be away for two years or more that is why I have made up my mind to put up my house for rent to whom ever that will take good care of it. However, my initial plan was to sell the house but it was not successful because the Realtor raised the price which made it difficult for me to sell before leaving . So you ignore the sign post cause i have stop dealing and contacting the Realtor for too much fees i paid and the Realtor was trying to rip me off. You can drive by and check the the house and neighborhood and get back to me for further discussions because i need a tenant urgently and i can also forward the application form to you, if you are interested.
Nuno Gonzaléz
9:53 PM (13 minutes ago)
to me
Hello,
Thank you reply to the advert placed, I’m happy to inform you that the place is still available
for rent and you are the first person to contact me about it. I really need to know how soon you
want to move in and number of people. I’m on a missionary transfer to CA to serve God and
humanity. I work with SOS Children’s Village here in CA, I have no choice than to relocate and
this is the reason why I want to rent out the units to someone who is going to take care of the
place as if they own it. The apartment is available for short and long time term lease is also
accepted.
The rent includes all utilities and close to all amenities. I was advised to rent out the place
because there is no one leaving there right now. The place is available for immediate move in.
INCLUDED IN THE RENT: Cable , Kitchen completely equipped, Kettle – Toaster – Dishwasher –
Freezer – Microwave – Oven – Dryer – Heat – Water – Washing Machine and Electric.
I want you to provide the following information to fill the rent application form and other
documents, such as; rental agreement, rent receipts etc.
RENTAL APPLICATION FORM
Full name:
Profession:
Present Address of the applicants:
Zip code:
Reasons for Leaving:
How long do you intend staying:
Do you drink:
Ph Cell & Home:
Email:
Single Or Married:
Children:
Pet: If any ():
Date of Tenancy:
I ………………………… ……………..CERTIFY that answers given herein are true and
complete to the best of my knowledge. I authorize investigation of all statements contained in
this application for tenant screening as may be necessary in arriving at a tenant decision. I
understand that the landlord may terminate any rental agreement entered into for any
misrepresentation made above.
I want you to make sure the present address is not mistaken because that’s where the keys and
documents will be ship to. The contents of the shipment you will be expecting are:
1. Bunch of keys to the property.
2. Documents containing the lease agreement and property description , including the property
address.
3. Rent receipts and damage deposit receipts.
I want you to email me once you fill the rent application form, the shipment of the package
containing the keys and other documents will be ship by secure courier service once the deposit
payment is paid.
I HAVENT EVEN SEEN THE APARTMENT you already sent forms.
I saw this post on craigslist this morning and couldn’t believe the apartment was cheap. He immediately replied. I had to look up the phone number to see if this was real and this page came up.
Too good to be true.
Thanks for getting back to me regarding my house, It gives me great joy to know that you are interested in my lovely house, I am Rev. Kevin Khabeer Manny the owner of the house you are making inquiry of. Presently my house is still available for rent and ready for immediately occupancy for just $1300 (rent already includes utilities).. I am sure you would be asking yourself why my rent is low, that’s because I am not too keen about the amount in renting the place out but to whom I am renting the house out to take great care of it and I have put the house up for sale before now but had to change my mind as my wife is not OK with us selling the house so my intention is to rent my house to someone that is responsible and be ready to take great care of the house as if it were his or her own, that is why the rent is low. and I plan to rent it through Real estate, but they are not serious simply because they have a lot of property to lease out and they also put our house in a higher rate while there commission is not fair. I am very certain that you would love the comfy of the house. The house is available for 3 years for now but you can live there to the period of time you wish and you can also move out as long as you can, you just need to inform me a month before you live so that I can look for another tenant like you do.
I would like you to know that I am giving this house out for rent because I have been transferred to EAST AFRICA on a Missionary Work by my church. My wife came here to join me with my kids after some months I was transfer because My Father is ill and my brother’s have take him to Argentina for surgery. and if not because of this, I wouldn’t have been renting the house out because me and my family resides in the house and we love it so much. I would like you to complete the tenant application form below and please be honest with the details to enable us choose the right tenant. I can be reach here and you can call or text anytime (970)984-8602.
This is the address of the house (222 Lime St, Inglewood, CA 90301)
It has a dramatic entry foyer with ceramic floor. Extremely spacious rooms throughout. Nice and light! Very quiet, low traffic area. I believe its absolutely a perfect place for you and your family. Utilities include Electric, Water, Trash, Sewer, Gas Etc….
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms:2.5
1,450 sqft
Pets are welcome!!!
SO COMPLETE THE TENANT RENTAL APPLICATION FORM BELOW IF YOU REALLY INTERESTED IN RENTING:
1)Your Full Name______________________________
2)Your Full Address & Phone Number______________________________
3)Are you married?_________________________
4)How many people will be living in the house______________________________
5)Do you have a pet______________________________
6)Do you have a car______________________________
7)Occupation______________________________
8)When will you like to move in?_____________________________
9)How long are you willing to stay in the property________________
10)Picture of the occupant If Available____________________________
11)When are you ready to Move In?________________
12)How Many Months are you willing to rent?________________
13) How Soon Do You Have The Deposit?_____________
The Landlord is authorized to use the information provided herein to conduct any and all investigations as deemed prudent by the Landlord. A Deposit of $1300 (which happens to be the security deposit) is required before moving in. You can drive by the house anytime to see the surroundings and the area since I am not in the around then we discuss on how to FedEx the keys paper work to you.
Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so we can proceed further. You can call or text me for more information on the rental (970)984-8602.
I hope to hear from you soonest. God Bless You,
Rev. Kevin Khabeer Manny.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil….”Proverbs 3: 5-7.
Thanks for your response. I will look forward to working with you and i hope you become the right tenant for us as we need responsible people to take good care of the house. We also need serious applicants so we can move forward with the rental process.
I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATION FORM BELOW:
RENT APPLICATION FORM.
Name (First name/ Middle name/Surname ) : __________?
Phone # : __________?
E-mail : __________?
Best time to call : __________?
How many proposed occupants : __________?
List of all occupants with approximate age : __________?
Present Address : __________?
City/State : __________?
Will you have pets : __________?
Please describe breed, size : __________?
Personality of pet : __________?
Preferred move in date : __________?
Intended length of lease: __________?
How much deposit can you put down today to secure the home for yourself : __________?
Length of previous tenancy : __________?
Present occupation : __________?
Do you run a business from home : __________?
If so what kind of business : __________?
Do you work late night : __________?
Do you smoke : __________?
Please feel free to ask any questions you do not understand and I will be looking forward to receive your email as soon as possible. As I am not around to show the inside, you can go check out the house and the neighborhood from the outside and get back to me if you really like it for more information. Respond as soon as you can so we can get this process started.
You can text or call me anytime for more inquiries on 203-701-9467
Regards and remain blessed.
Subject: Re: Split Bedroom Floor Plan, Covered & Uncovered Back Deck++Storage Shed
On Mon, Oct 15, 2018 at 4:49 AM F X wrote:
Thanks for your interest and inquiries about my house. The house is still available for rent and we are looking for a responsible person/family to occupy and maintain the house. Myself and my family just traveled to MISSOURI with Experience Mission. We will be away for about 4 years. The house is available for rent for short term and long term as we will be moving to our family house when we get back. I was unable to find a tenant before I traveled which is why I posted an ad online. My initial plan was to sell the house but it was not successful because the Realtor raised the price which made it difficult for me to sell so never mind if you see the for realtor sign in front of the house, it has already been taken off the market for sale so you will be dealing with me directly. How long do you intend to stay and how soon do you intend to move in?
Rental price: $700 per month and security deposit is $700 (security deposit is refundable).
Pets are Welcome.
Below is the address to the house : 8307 Dulcet Dr, Austin, TX 78745
Get back to me so I can forward you the rent questionnaire I would want you to fill out.
Regards and remain blessed.
For Toronto, ON, 3 messages:
Hello ,
Thanks for your email I am Engineer Ray Stevenson the owner of the property you are making inquiry of the rental is fully furnished with all necessary amenities situated in a very nice and safe area ,close to EVERYTHING , easy access to public transportation. Great Restaurants, Bars, Pubs and shopping within walking distance. It comes with parking spot and a Storage unit where you can put my furniture ( IF you don’t like it and you want use your furniture) PETS are welcome also you can rent ( FURNISHED OR UNFURNISHED ). All utility bills are included in the rent and my place is available for a SHORT or LONG TERM rental period I am a kind and honest man and also I spent a lot on my property I will solicit for your absolute maintenance I used to reside there before not until I left for CAMBODIA for a construction job with Total/Elf ( I’m a Construction Engineer ) I want a tenant I can trust do tell me more about yourself me and my family are staying here for about 5 yrs with no plan of returning back that is why I have made up my mind to put up all my property for rent the place is vacant and ready for move in now.
===========FILL THE RENT APPLICATION =============
1)Full Name(s):
2)Present Address(Current residence):
3)Direct contact phone number(home and cell):
4)Age:
5)Marital Status:
6)How many people will be living in the flat:
7)Do you have a pet ?:
8)Do you have a car? If yes, how many? :
9)Occupation:
10)Citizen of Which Country?
11)How long do you intend to stay?:
12)When are you ready to Move In? Exact Date? :
13) How many months rent can you pay upfront? Minimum ( first and last month rent ) or ( Pay 3 months rent + & you get (1) month free ) which option do you prefer ?
Thanks for taking your time in writing me and hope to hear back from you.
Regards,
Ray Stevenson .
***********
Hello ,
I reviewed your Application Form its very satisfactory and acceptable .The next step is payment which is the option you choose in the application form after we get the required payment for move in the following documents below and keys would be mailed out to you via DHL Courier Service to your current address and the tracking number will be sent then you can occupy your new home , The package includes:
1) Entrance and the rooms Keys
2) Paper/Permanent House form
3) The House documentary file
4) Full Description of the House
5) Payment Receipt
RE-CONFIRM YOUR DELIVERY INFORMATION BELOW .
FULL NAME :
HOME ADDRESS:
IMPORTANT NOTICE: I have had different situation with time waster whereby I secure the rental and when its time for payment they come up with different stories like reduce rent and so on .If you want me to secure rental until your move in date you have to pay the rent this week so I can be rest assured you aren’t a time waster the rental is situated in a very high demand area .Your monthly rent already covers all utility bills so you do not have to pay extra charges do reply back with your mailing address also should I forward Payment information.
**************
Hello ,
I am glad to have you as my new tenant I am responsible for maintenance, internal and external my property is covered with housing insurance and coverage on any issues or concerns regarding electricity, plumbing e.t.c you just have to contact me via email and would be fixed within 24 hours, Once again get back if I should forward payment information also reply back with your delivery information below .
FULL NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
I await your reply soon .
Dudes yeah this:
“Hello
Thanks for your interest and inquiries about my house. Yes the house is still available for rent and we are looking for a responsible person/family to occupy and maintain the house now that we are not around. Myself and my wife just traveled to Texas, Houston for a program called SERVING IN MISSION (SIM), you can view the link for more info: (http://www.sim.org/index.php/ ). We will be away for 3 to 4 years or more that is why I have made up my mind to put up my house for rent to whom ever that will take good care of it. However, my initial plan was to sell the house but it was not successful because the Realtor raised the price which made it difficult for me to sell before leaving the States so never mind if you see the for sale sign in front of the house, It has already been taken off the market as for sale so there is no need to contact any Realtor.I want you to understand that I spent a lot on my property that you have requested to rent, so I will solicit for your absolute maintenance of this house and would want you to treat it as your own because cleanliness they say is next to Godliness. It is not all about the money to be paid on rent or spent; it is all about a good maintenance culture which I want you to adopt on the property. I want you to keep it tidy all the time so that I would be full of smiles whenever I come and above all, a good, strong and tight relationship between us when I come for a check up. Please one more thing, I wouldn’t like to have any benefit of trust in you because I want to stand in your words that the property would be well taken care of all the time. I believe you have seen how lovely it is if from only the pictures you saw in my posting compare to the 100% comfort to be derived from it as you are an occupant.”
-Couldn’t view the apt. because he’s in Texas but said I could peek in the front windows. No photos included in add or email
-Never included his name and wouldn’t give it to me over the phone, emailed me a picture of ‘him and his family’ with a name- lots of googling got me no where. ( Mr. Nadir Kouar. )
-Unable to place accent and very difficult to understand over the phone,
-Wants to receive cash payment through Money Gram before keys or lease received
-Said he would Fedex the key and papers overnight to me
-He was trying to move the process along very quickly.
-Really laid on that he and his wife were people of God, they know the world is a scary place, but they would be trusting me with their home. First thing let me know he was a very good Christian
-Sketchy application:
SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATION FORM BELOW:
RENT APPLICATION FORM.
Name (First name/ Middle name/Surname ) : __________?
Phone numbers (home,cell and office line ) # :__________?
E-mail :__________?
Best time to call :__________?
Marital Status:__________?
A Picture of your self if possible______________________?
How many proposed occupants :__________?
List all in addition to yourself including approx age :__________?
Present Address :__________?
City/State :__________?
Will you have pets :__________?
Please describe Breed, size :__________?
Personality of pet :__________?
Preferred move in date :__________?
Intended length of lease:__________?
Do you agree to pay the payment before you move in:__________?
Are you ready to make the payment today :__________?
Earliest possible date of deposit payment:__________?
Length of previous tenancy :__________?
Present occupation :__________?
Are you a section 8 applicant :__________?
Do you work late at night :__________?
Do you smoke :__________?
Do you drink :_______?
Craigslist Baltimore, 2212 Maryland Ave, is the advertised address. Owned by 2210-2212 Maryland Ave LLC, no other information on building owner or contact information to extra verify its a scam.
I feel like an idiot for falling for it a little bit, ew enough.
THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who posted their experiences as well.
I guess I’m a lucky one, i saw the ad it said $1100 +$1500 sec dep. I even saw it since apt is really for rent,more on that, i got the code flag num 1# I asked if I got there before 9am could I go in the house he replied,by email,that it had to be from 9-10 hmmm,So i saw hse,liked the house and asked how we proceed,he then emails me an application to fill out,in the meantime I’m thinking this is going was to easy,no credit check no rental report, so I Google the address and it is for rent but by a big realty company and for $1510 and it specifically states on their Zillow listing they would never put there real estate on craigslist. I’ve contacted the realty company and they are going to contact property Management. Not sure what else to do. Should I contact the police since this man still thinks I want the house?
I was contacted by an Eric Lester . He has a house for rent in sandford Florida.it was all a scam here is the phone number he contacted me with and the email .. (707)893-7863 chase_home021@aol.com people please be careful. I was also contacted by a Mr. Davis with two different numbers (904)701-4730 and (754)666-0059 for a rental in casselberry he was upset because I told him I would give him a check or a money order only .. NOT cash for the amount of 1900 which has the first month rent and deposit. Shameless people and they even mention God name in their scams !!! I hope this information help other people so they don’t fall in scams like this . Good luck and be careful.