Having posted our listings on Craigslist before I have had a mostly positive experience... until the other day.
I received numerous calls about a rental property; only thing is -- I don't have a rental property -- our listings are all for sale only.
Apparently someone created an email address that was a similar one to mine (ie. my name & add some digits to the end of it), then copied our listing verbatem (pictures, description & all) & put it on craigslist for rent at a ridiculously low amount; one that would garner an innumerable amount of calls.
Luckily the public is one step ahead & they caught on before I even found out about the fraudulent posting. Although the scammer was looking for people to contact him at the email address he set up, I received several calls from potential renters who were suspicious, did a little digging & tracked down my website online & in turn spoke to me on the phone.
I put a posting on craigslist identifying the scammers posting & only a couple of calls have trickled in the week after that. Funny though how craigslist won't let me post the title "Warning: Rental Scam" but they'll let Scammers & Spammers post just about anything they want.
It wasn't surprising that the potential renters were suspicious, after all the property was being offered for rent at about 1/2 the going rate. Although I can;t say that everyone was so vigilant - some had told me how they had driven by the house over & over again & couldn't believe what a great deal it was. I guess it just goes to show that if something is too good to be true - it is.
Anyway I just received another email from another online scammer today - nothing to do with craigslist - you would have to be labotomized to go along with this but I guess these guys are the same guys who like to play the games on craigslist. They send out so many of these emails that some poor, trusting, unsuspecting person could get there bank account fleeced if they went along with this.
In case you've never seen the famous Nigerian scam letter here's an example of one I just got today:
"My Dear I got your contact from a business directory I just acquired and decided to approach you very discreetly with this proposal of mutual trust and benefit. I am Mrs Carin Mbuyi the wife of Joseph Mbuyi, former finance minister of Zimbabwe who was poisoned to death by our president Robert Mugabe because he refused to obey some of his Evil policies. As you may know, my country is in shamble now due to stubborn attitude of our President Robert Mugabe, for the moment our family is been intimated and harassed by the government authority, I need your help to secure the fund he deposited here in Thailand and assist me invest it as i am not in business Cline, it was the only hope we have to survive now as most of our property and money in Zimbabwe have been seized . If you are willing to assist me, kindly get back to me by mail or call me on the number above so that we can arrange for meeting, for the moment, I am here in Thailand with my Son (DANIEL) on temporary permit. The total of the deposited fund is Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars. {$7.5m}. Best Regards. Mrs. Carine Joseph Mbuyi."
Well, there doesn't seem to be any end in site. Just wanted to make you all aware if you weren't allready. Just another reason to work with a qualified realtor when you are searching for a rental property or a home to buy. Well, I've got to go now, it's time to look for a better spam blocker...
Comments(2)