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Being stabbed in the back by CRAIGSLIST...again

By
Real Estate Agent with Johnson Real Estate, Inc. RES.0761759

Being stabbed in the back by Craigslist AGAIN!!  You can now add me to the list of Realtors that have been unjustly raked over the coals by another scam on Craigslist.

My first bit of advice... CONSUMERS STAY AWAY!

I have a 4 bedroom Colonial for rent in Middletown CT.  This was just posted the other day on Realtor.com.  Yesterday, I received a call at the office from a possible customer wishing to take a look at this rental.  A red flag went up in my mind at this point.  Why did they call the office??  My cell phone number is what is listed in the MLS.  Hmm.

I called this gentlemen back (let's call him Steve, this is not his real name), Steve said he saw this listing on Craigslist.  He was looking to move closer to Middletown CT (if not in Middletown), and he was willing to pay more than he is right now.  The $1,100 for this 4 bedroom residential home is in his price range.  The fact that they also accept pets made his day.

I stopped him right there.  The information he has is INACCURATE.  The price of this home is $1,800, not $1,100 and pets are NOT allowed. 

He was upset and rightfully so, he told me that the advertising states differently and I should uphold that information.  I explained that I did NOT post anything to Craigslist, and don't anymore, just for this reason.

Last year I had a home rental in Cromwell, CT with pictures from a property in Texas.  STAY AWAY FROM CRAIGSLIST, or don't assume the information you are reading is correct.

I've tried to report this, but to no avail.  So I am letting everyone here on ActiveRain, and the general public, do NOT believe what is written by houseluxury69@yahoo.com for posting ID 2778245477.  They are advertising the wrong information from what is on Realtor.com and/or CTMLS.MLXchange .

For the correct information and a personal showing of 844 Congdon Street, in Middletown, CT please call me directly, at 860.883.8889.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Valerie Osterhoudt, ABR
(Accredited Buyers Representative)

Is a Full Time Realtor® with with Johnson Real Estate, in Cromwell, CT who specializes in Homes and Condos For Sale in the Middlesex and Hartford Counties in CT.

VALERIE OSTERHOUDT REALTOR IN CROMWELL CT

valerie osterhoudt

Valerie Osterhoudt, ABR ~Johnson Real Estate, Inc.
cell:  860.883.8889

email: Valerie Osterhoudt, ABR

website: www.CTrealtorMLS.com

 

Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

you have to wonder why people do this.  WHO would actually email someone their SSN and that's what these scammers are after.

Jan 03, 2012 11:36 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Valerie, I have not heard much good about Craigslist these days.  It just seems like they have a lot of this kind of stuff going on.

Jan 03, 2012 12:01 PM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hello Stranger,  I was hit by this scam twice in 2011, I had so many phone calls and we got the police involve and they could not do anything about it.  Hope all is fine with you.

Jan 03, 2012 02:32 PM
Judith Parker
ProStead Realty - Charlotte, NC
CRS, GRI, CMRS, Charlotte, NC

Happy New Year Valerie, it is so nice to see you here in the "rain."  This happened to me last year but they were taking my listings and showing them as rentals.  I actually wrote in the wording in MLS... not for rent.  That was my only way to stop it.  Good luck with this!

Jan 03, 2012 03:23 PM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Valerie, I had something similar done to one of my listings a while ago. For that reason I have stopped all activity on Craigslist. The Internet is wonderful for the promotion and marketing of our listings, but like all things, provides an avenue for thieves as well.

Jan 05, 2012 01:10 AM
Valerie Osterhoudt
Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT
ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Tammy...

This makes no sense to me.  If anyone was estute, they would realize that this home had a *private* email address, not one of a realtor. 

I hope no one EVER gives out their SSN.

Jan 05, 2012 05:51 AM
Valerie Osterhoudt
Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT
ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

George.. You are right, and it isn't necessarily just with real estate either.

Jan 05, 2012 05:56 AM
Valerie Osterhoudt
Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT
ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Will.. I've tried reporting this person, have gotten no where with Craigslist for support.  How did your turn out after everything?

Jan 05, 2012 05:56 AM
Valerie Osterhoudt
Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT
ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Judith.. This tells me that the real estate boards need to do more in the way of protecting the files/listings.  We'll see what happens when I list another property.

Jan 05, 2012 05:57 AM
Valerie Osterhoudt
Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - Cromwell, CT
ABR, Cromwell, CT Real Estate ~ 860.883.8889

Ed.. This is the strange part.  I never posted this listing to Craigslist.  They totally scammed either the MSL or Realtor.com to get this information.

Jan 05, 2012 05:58 AM
Joshua Zargari
MJ Decorators Workshop LI staging and home decorating - Lynbrook, NY
MJ Decorators Workshop

Hi Valerei.

Happy New Year.

Jan 05, 2012 07:41 AM
Jack O'Neal
HomeSmart Elite Group - Gilbert, AZ

Find the ad on craigslist, reply to it and play along with them see what's up

Feb 04, 2012 04:28 AM