here’s a weird one

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

So my home is listed for sale and I was just out in the garage packing some things up when I noticed someone in my driveway. He told me he was here to check out the rental. I was like “uhhh you mean the house for sale? Sorry we have already accepted an offer.” He said no he’s the guy who emailed me on Craigslist. I said the house is not on Craigslist. He showed me the listings and the email. Very creepy. I called the local PD and aside from having the most lovely female police officer come over there was not much they could do. Realtor was mostly unfazed saying that’s very common but still feel kinda of gross.

 

[Chin Diesel]

So, someone randomly or purposely listed your house on Craigslist?

Or, are the new owners renting it out?

 

[Lefty2one]

Probably an attempt to get someone to send in a security deposit without seeing the rental first.

 

[husky429]

So my home is listed for sale and I was just out in the garage packing some things up when I noticed someone in my driveway. He told me he was here to check out the rental. I was like “uhhh you mean the house for sale? Sorry we have already accepted an offer.” He said no he’s the guy who emailed me on Craigslist. I said the house is not on Craigslist. He showed me the listings and the email. Very creepy. I called the local PD and aside from having the most lovely female police officer come over there was not much they could do. Realtor was mostly unfazed saying that’s very common but still feel kinda of gross.

That's a common Craigslist scam. Super weird. My old landlord put our house on the market one fall and we must have had 12 people show up. They're trying to get deposit $.

We put a cannon I own on the front porch that said "house not for rent; trespassers will be shot." Not clear if it helped or not

If you want to borrow it, let me know ?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

So, someone randomly or purposely listed your house on Craigslist?

Or, are the new owners renting it out?

Someone random

 

[Hoophound]

Probably an attempt to get someone to send in a security deposit without seeing the rental first.

This. They would take as much as a prospective tenant would give them to lock up the rental. Usually, the rate is low so it attracts lots of gullible prospects. They use listed houses because it is so easy to copy pics from Zillow etc. and they can glean other info from the listing as well, which makes them seem more credible.

This is really prevalent in second home areas where houses are often vacant. They just tell prospects to look in the windows, “because I am up north” or out of state, so they can’t physically let you in. They promise to FedEx the keys once the lease is signed and deposits made. People get killed with this in Florida. I’ve heard of people renting beachfront for 20k per month and paying for the whole season upfront only to find out they are homeless when they arrive.

 

[HuskyHawk]

This. They would take as much as a prospective tenant would give them to lock up the rental. Usually, the rate is low so it attracts lots of gullible prospects. They use listed houses because it is so easy to copy pics from Zillow etc. and they can glean other info from the listing as well, which makes them seem more credible.

This is really prevalent in second home areas where houses are often vacant. They just tell prospects to look in the windows, “because I am up north” or out of state, so they can’t physically let you in. They promise to FedEx the keys once the lease is signed and deposits made. People get killed with this in Florida. I’ve heard of people renting beachfront for 20k per month and paying for the whole season upfront only to find out they are homeless when they arrive.

I can't believe people do that on Craigslist. Wow.

 

[husky429]

I can't believe people do that on Craigslist. Wow.

It only takes one idiot and you've got 1000$ deposit. Same as those military tinder things older women fall for. All those scams.

It's gonna be someone desperate for housing. When they were coming to our house it was people who wanted to live in a wealthy town with great schools for cheap. Almost always people with kids. Maybe it's someone with a felony that's desperate. Newly single mother desperate for cheap housing. Stupid college kids... whoever.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I put a cannon I own on the front porch

If you want to borrow it, let me know ?

Can I borrow it to keep my wife's family away?

 

[Drumguy]

My brother in law fell for a similar scam. Paid for a full summer rental cottage on Lake Waukewan in NH. Showed up and the real owners of course had no idea who he was. The police found the scammer though and are trying to get restitution.

 

[ZenConn]

My brother in law fell for a similar scam. Paid for a full summer rental cottage on Lake Waukewan in NH. Showed up and the real owners of course had no idea who he was. The police found the scammer though and are trying to get restitution.

All this is scary. What's the best way to do a summer rental? Airbnb? I've always used Vrbo and haven't had any problems

 

[Chuck]

All this is scary. What's the best way to do a summer rental? Airbnb? I've always used Vrbo and haven't had any problems

We've had a few vrbo's go silent on us after initial discussions, but we've never had any big issues once booked. I'm always afraid we'll show up and have a "Summer Rental" issue where John Candy and family go to the wrong house and there's is a dump. Especially since we've rented places through vrbo that are in the same building as places going for double the rate through the resort.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I read about scams like this and realize why I'm stuck in the middle with a 40 year work life.

Never would it occur to me to list a house that isn't mine, put it on the internet and expect people to send me money without every meeting them or them having a real lease.

Also, for people who fall for this, fool, money, something, something, soon, something, something separated.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

My brother in law fell for a similar scam. Paid for a full summer rental cottage on Lake Waukewan in NH. Showed up and the real owners of course had no idea who he was. The police found the scammer though and are trying to get restitution.

What'd your brother in law do? Turn around and drive home? I would have been heated.

 

[HuskyHawk]

All this is scary. What's the best way to do a summer rental? Airbnb? I've always used Vrbo and haven't had any problems

Never had an issue with VRBO. On Cape Cod there are loads available through local real estate companies too. I hate the fees on some Airbnb listings. You find something that looks good and instead it is loaded with fees and has crappy cancellation.

 

[auror]

We put a cannon I own on the front porch...

Hold up.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

All this is scary. What's the best way to do a summer rental? Airbnb? I've always used Vrbo and haven't had any problems

I've never really had an issue with either although we suspected a scam on VRBO a year ago and didn't end up renting a place because the "owner" was very pushy and asked for our credit card info about 10 times before we had even decided. It seemed like a really nice place but something just seemed off about the whole thing.

"If something seems too good to be true, it probably is".

 

[husky429]

Hold up.

It's a coast guard line throwing cannon. Maybe called a Lyle gun? It was at a flea market. I got a little too excited.

I fired it a few times at a friends house out in the boonies a while back. Definitely has enough kick to scare off in-laws

 

[StllH8L8ner]

It's a coast guard line throwing cannon. Maybe called a Lyle gun? It was at a flea market. I got a little too excited.

I fired it a few times at a friends house out in the boonies a while back. Definitely has enough kick to scare off in-laws

 

[bmayuc]

I can't believe people do that on Craigslist. Wow.

I'm not sure there is anything you could dream up that I would be shocked if people did it on craigslist. Its kinda the point of craiglist.

 

[NJHusky]

We've had a few vrbo's go silent on us after initial discussions, but we've never had any big issues once booked. I'm always afraid we'll show up and have a "Summer Rental" issue where John Candy and family go to the wrong house and there's is a dump. Especially since we've rented places through vrbo that are in the same building as places going for double the rate through the resort.

But that’s all done with a ccard so but covered

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm not sure there is anything you could dream up that I would be shocked if people did it on craigslist. Its kinda the point of craiglist.

Sure. Which is why going there with an expectation of not getting scammed is unwarranted.

 

[M.S.G.]

That's a common Craigslist scam. Super weird. My old landlord put our house on the market one fall and we must have had 12 people show up. They're trying to get deposit $.

We put a cannon I own on the front porch that said "house not for rent; trespassers will be shot." Not clear if it helped or not

If you want to borrow it, let me know ?

Hold on, you have a cannon?

 

[Drumguy]

What'd your brother in law do? Turn around and drive home? I would have been heated.

He was! He lives about 1.5 hours away in Portsmouth so he did drive home. These scammers are really good! I've had good luck with airbnb and vrbo, wouldn't go near craigslist anymore.

 

[CL82]

Can I borrow it to keep my wife's family away?

“I married her, not you, dammit!”