Your listing has been HIJACKED on Craigslist! What do you do?

It has happened. What they tell the potential renter is to call you, the listing agent, for an appointment to see the house. And the hijacker tells them not to tell you they are looking to rent, because the hijacker doesn't want the listing agent to know they are about to lose the listing. The hijacker/seller is out of state/country and can't show it themselves, so they are taking advantage of the listing agent.

The hijacker says they know the rent is cheap, but they can't afford the bills anymore and just want someone in it to pay utilities and give them some money.

It is actually quite common from what I hear. We started posting signs a few years ago that the property was not for rent when this was a common occurance in the area.

Happened here in Cincinnati to us about 3 years ago.  Contacted Craigslist and got the ad removed.  Also contacted and reported to the local cops.

Hi Ralph.....that happens all the time on Craigs List....one little scum bag hi-jacked all of our franklin ma office listings (250+) and put them in his name.....it was demanded that he remove them from craigs list and he did immediately....craigs list was notified too....but the scum bag did remove them.

I personally haven't had that happen to me, but as long as it's a licensed agent and they are advertising themselves as a licensed agent, I don't really see the problem.

You have to remember the seller/owner hired you the sell/rent their home out..Even if someone brings the buyer/renter you are still doing your job.

Plus free marketing is free marketing... As long as they are representing your listing in a legitimate way.. Let them! What is there to be afraid of, they might actually bring in a qualified lead???

Happened to me back in January. A lady came to the office to "pickup her rental keys". Apparently she had paid two months rent and a healthy deposit to some crook over the phone. If it sounds too good to be true, run the other direction!

Yeah that is pretty jacked up!!!! I am happy that you caught that....Did you report it to the craigslist people to so they could take it off???

Ralph, this is very interesting. I haven't had it happen to me yet, but from reading Bliz and Barbara above, it sounds like it is pretty common in Craig's List. It would be great if it actually helped you get that listing SOLD.

Ralph, it's happening all over.  Here in the Phoenix area, there's been many cases of people going and changing the locks so they have the keys, further perpetuating the scam.  I hope you turned them into Craig's list AND to the police!!!

Craig's list can be a dangerous place in many ways.  This is just one of the minor scams.  Taking photos and info from vacant homes and then renting them out to desperate tenants is another one.  Getting killed over a TV set is the more extreme.  Let's be careful out there.

Wow! That is so good you caught them. I will have to start checking for that too. It is so sad that a good site like Craigslist can be misused by crooks.