National rental scam

I hope most agents are already aware of this, however I'm not sure the population as a whole is. There have been numerous articles, television news shows and even a lengthy article in the recent NAR magazine. In Sonoma County the scam has hit some agents very hard, yet others are unaware of it. Here's how it works:

The scammer finds a home for sale. They can find it any number of ways, but all they need is the property address, and usually they pick a home that is vacant. Even better is a home that is vacant, for sale, and has no sign (I see these all the time).

The scammer runs an ad, frequently on Craig's List, advertising the property as being For Rent. They advertise that they are desperate to get it rented, and that the rent is well below current market rates. They give the address and invite interested persons to drive by and look in the windows. First person to deposit "First Last and Deposit" gets it.

I hate to rip on Craig's List because I like Craig's List, and use it as a major part of my advertising. Scammers like Craigs List because it is free, and is easy for them to use false emails, and url addresses that make it difficult for law enforcement to track.

If your a listing agent, you may want to consider not putting your listing's full address on the internet, or hanging a rider "Not for Rent" under your sign. If you find people walking around your listing, ask them what they are doing. If they state they thought this was a rental, ask if they printed the ad out, and ask to see it. You can also search Craig's List and the internet by your listings address and see what comes up.

If your looking for a rental, be sure to meet the landlord in person and make sure he/she has a key to the residence. Always sign a lease or rental agreement before turning over money. If there's doubt, take down the persons license plate number then check county records to see who the owner of the home is. If it's not the person completing the rental paperwork, at least you have the possible scammer's license plate number to give law enforcement.

Always play it safe out there.