Fake Owner Leasing Property

 

Real Estate Fraud: Fake Owner Leasing Property

(with video below) The housing crisis has left many looking for reasonably priced rental homes in decent neighborhoods. Some are turning to posting online advertisements requesting affordable accommodations for their families.

Sadly there are scammers that will take advantage of families who are just looking for a roof over their heads. How does the scam work?

Watch the video below to see the Fake Property Owner scam exposed – it could happen in your city, too.

Fake Property Owner Exposed Video

The fake owner scam involves scammers contacting people who have posted ads looking for housing. They will send photos of "their home" and give a compelling reason why they are able to lease it to the family for a couple of years; often they will state that their job is taking them out of the country for a period of time, leaving the home empty and the "owners" looking to rent it out.

The scammer will communicate via email and telephone, sending contracts to be signed. They will then give banking information to the victim, requesting that the bond and first week's rent be deposited into the scammers bank account. Upon deposit, they will tell the victim that they will send the keys.

Of course, the keys never arrive and the victim is out an exorbitant amount of money.

Real Estate Fraud – Fake Owner Leasing Property: How To Avoid 

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. In the case of renting or leasing accommodations online, insist on meeting the homeowner in person. Advise them that you must meet with them and see the deed to the home along with identification proving they own the home they are leasing.

Also, doing an online search of housing scams will often turn up the names and telephone numbers scammers are using. Just abiding by these simple measures will keep a roof over your family's heads and your hard-earned money in your bank account, not a scammers.

How To Report

Make your family and friends aware of this scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:

Report To The FTC Here

 

How to protect yourself more:

If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You'll receive periodical emails and we promise not to spam. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other scammers.

 

Related Articles and Pages:

Full List of Real Estate Tips and Scam

Change My Address/Free Change of Address Scam

Real Estate Leads/ Mortgage Lead Generation Scam

Dual Flush Toilet/ Low Flow Toilet Rebate Scam

Mortgage Loan Modification Via HAMP/HARP Programs

How To Stop Foreclosure Scam

Solar Panels For Your Home Scam

Water Heater Repair Emergency Plumbing Service

Fake Landlord Renting Property

Cheap Home Security Systems Scam


Verify a website below

Are you just about to make a purchase online? See if the website is legit with our validator:

vldtr®

loding img
Searching: Domain age, Alexa rank, HTTPS valid, Blacklisting, SSL certificates, Source code, Location, IP address, WOT Trustworthiness, Spam reports, Advanced technology, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, Contact options
identity theft protection

TOP 4 MUST-WATCH FRAUD PREVENTION VIDEOS

1. Top 5 Amazon Scams in 2024
 
2. Top 5 PayPal Scams in 2024
 
3. How To Spot a Scam Email in 2024
selma hrynchuk
Selma HrynchukSelma is a fraud prevention specialist renowned for her expertise in private eye investigations and a remarkable partnership with law enforcement agencies. Beyond her investigative triumphs, her public speaking engagements and written works have empowered countless individuals to protect themselves and stay ahead of deceptive schemes. Selma's legacy shines as a tenacious agent of change, unyielding in her commitment to battling fraud and ensuring a safer world for all.

6 thoughts on “Fake Owner Leasing Property”

  1. Hello dears!
    I ask you to check http://www.eurolettings.com ("the company" based in the uk, with vat registration number and other information, asking for wire transfer for short-rental).
    Let’s start from the beginning: I contacted an "agent" with over 20-25 properties on a famous short-rental website (www.9flats.com).
    Further, i was checking the "host" profile picture and made some research over internet, found his website by searching "Euro Lettings" over google. There is a real company (www.euroletting.co.uk), but not this one (www.eurolettings.com). After checking the "whois" i got the information that the website is new created and for sure a SCAM
    I provided the "required" information in order to start the booking, but another suspicious thing was that i tried to "book" the property on the website, but after completing the form for booking, it said that an operator will contact me with the invoice.
    About 30 minutes passed and the "operator" contacted (many typing errors – another SCAM supposition), who asked to wire money to a italian bank account.
    You should share this link on others to avoid SCAM for rentals.
    Br!
    Aleksei

  2. Don’t waste your time with the fake listing of 200kd or 260kd, Block 12, Abdul Karim Al-Khattabi street 10, Hawally Government, Kuwait. Name being used as lessor: Swans. Martin and Roberta Swan. The name of location could change but if anyone ask for money/deposit saying they have the keys and will mail them upon receipt of a deposit it is a fake and they are fake. I asked for confirmation of owner ship and was ignored. Tried to call got no answer.

  3. HELP!!!…guys i need your help. I’m in a really bad situation so i need to rent an apartment as fast is possible. I found one on internet with price which is good for me cause i can’t pay more. The man who rent it isn’t in the country so we talk by email about details (keys shipment, payment etc). Also i ask him for more pictures of the apartment and his family and he send me. But i still have a lot of doubs. How can i be sure he is that man in pictures. Isn’t it weird? I want to know that the apartment i’ll rent and the person i talk to are real. I’m really afraid to lose my last money but also i’ve no more to rent something else. How to find out if it’s fake or not?

  4. It’s a good idea to google the address, supposed owners name, and email. I found several scams while searching for a rental on craigslist. Often you will find out the owner is dead via an obituary or the email may be from someone who is deceased.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *