The apartment renting scam has been going on for years, scooping up victim after victim and shows no sign of slowing down. It’s simple: a property is listed online for a cheap price, grabbing the attention of consumers. When the consumer inquires about the rental property they’re given plenty of details, and pictures and then offered the usually ridiculously discounted price. The only catch? The future landlord is overseas, or in another state but not to worry the keys can be mailed in a jiffy, just wire the deposit and you’re ready to move in.
“It was listed for $500, we were like, done, take it, it’s a steal,” Makenzee, a Utah college student tells KSL-TV. Makenzee says she was relieved her apartment search would be over and to think she was getting a great one for cheap.
She says the inquires to the potential new landlord were smooth. He was responsive and timely. Why wasn’t he living in the apartment? He was out of state completing his Doctorate degree. Things were going great until one eyebrow raising question was asked.
The Doctors wife wanted Makenzee to send the payment immediately. When Makenzee tried to place phone calls to the potential landlord she couldn’t get the Doctor or his wife to answer anything other than a text message and when she inquired about neighborhood facts, the previous tenants couldn’t answer.
Makenzee grew suspicious and never wired the money. Good thing because KSL-TV began making phone calls and through a property records search tracked down real landlord.
The crooks make the offers look real by finding actual properties for rent, copying the ad and then using their contact info, hoping that you won’t catch the fraud until you’ve wired the money.
