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"The New Rental Scam" ? When Will People Learn?

By Jeff Pearl

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA

September 13, 2012 09:13 PM

http://www.nbcwashington.com/investigations/The-New-Rental-Scam-169724076.html Honestly, I'm sick of hearing about these scams. In most cases, it's obvious that the deal is too good to be possible, and the people losing their money think they are the ones getting over on someone. Was their a phone # in the ad? an email address? Where did they ask you to send the money? The lame reporter at News4 I-Team neglected to include that in her story. Another thing that doesn't make any sense in this story is: At the start of the story it says: " Send #2500.00....to owner Sol Gordon". Then Sol Gordon mentions that he has no idea where that is. Really, an insurance salesman from Montgomery Village MD doesn't know where Arlington is? Very strange. Then later in the story, Sol Gordon points out the scammers are " charging $1000.00 for this unit. That is too cheap, and too good to be true." If Gordon doesn't even know where the unit is, how does he know that the price is too cheap? I googled " Sol Gordon", and see that he is a 5th generation Washingtonian. Maybe Mr. Gordon meant he doesn't know where that particular address is in Arlington? Anyway, back to the scam. How hard would it have been for a member of the US Navy to call a local real estate office and ask if they had any information about that address being for rent? Did he really think he would be the only person that might be interested in this great rental deal in Arlington? It appears that the Navy man googled Sol Gordon after he sent his money? It's like some people just deserve to be ripped off. People just keep falling for this scam over, and over, and over. This is not a new scam. It's been around for years. So why would Tisha Thompson title her story " The New Rental Scam"? I have no idea. Good thing I'm not a reporter. I would be asking the guy "How could you be so stupid?", and other similar questions. Need a rental, call a real estate agent. They are in business to provide honest, ethical real estate services to the public. Jeff Pearl / REALTOR / Lic in VA / RE/MAX Distinctive - Reston VA / 703-727-4876 / www.myhomesdb.com/jeffpearl / Equal Housing Opportunity Providers

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Wallace S. Gibson, CPM

Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA

LandlordWhisperer

My question is why are reporters STILL covering rental scams? They have been going on for decades. I bought a property management firm 25 years ago because a SCAMMER got a vacant unit key and started showing the property and taking $$$ from prospects that did not know that he was not the owner/agent...been around for DECADES.

Sep 13, 2012 09:17 PM

Janice Roosevelt

Keller Williams Brandywine Valley - West Chester, PA

OICP ABR, ePRO,Ecobroker

Jeff, this is dsitrubing.

Sep 13, 2012 09:19 PM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Sadly, the country (world??) is full of folks looking for a "good deal".

They are gullible and have no sense of perspective.

Jeff Pearl

RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

#1- Hi Wallace, I have no idea. I guess they just need something to fill in time. Seems like we hear about this scam at least once a week.

#2- Hi Janice, yes, disturbing, but many times these people can't be helped. Now this Navy nan will end up spending $5000.00 out of pocket trying to find a rental. Doubtful he'll ever get his $2500.00 back from scammer.

#3- Hi lenn, It's true, people just lose control of their senses hoping it's a real deal even if they have suspicians in the back of their mind.

Sep 13, 2012 09:50 PM

Kathryn Maguire

GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA

Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

Ugh! I am with you...how could people be so stupid? Don't they ever listen to the news or read a newspaper? This has been going on for quite some time.

Sep 13, 2012 10:28 PM

Anonymous

Eddie Edwards

To answer Ms. Gibsons question as to why they keep reporting it is that we have the Internet now. 25 years ago Craigslist where most of the scams are advertised did not exist. Additionally, in our business people may rent once or twice and never rent again so you are constantly having to reeducate the public on whats happening out there. I think a major reason why scams are so prevalent is that the public has been conditioned by teh Real Estate community to NOT go to a Realtor for Rentals. I've been doing rentals (not PM) but rentals for 28 years and every Broker I have ever been with and know of turn away renters. So what happens is they go out on there own and get caught up in these scams.

If the public wants this all to go away there a really easy method. Use a professional to show properties that are listed with Real Estate Broker. If this happens most of the scams will just go away though not all.

Sep 14, 2012 05:50 AM

#5- Hi Kathryn, I don't know. i guess there is a steady inflow of people that haven't heard about it yet? Hard to say.

#6- Hi Eddie, That could be part of the problem. I only know a handful of agents that focus on rentals. I think a lot of these people are avoiding agents because they don't want to have their credit checked, and think they can convince owners to rent to them.

Sep 14, 2012 07:46 AM

"The New Rental Scam" ? When Will People Learn?

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