Renters advised to watch out for Craigslist scams

A Wichita homeowner reported his house was surreptitiously listed for rent on Craigslist, a website for classified ads.

The homeowner reported the scam to the Sedgwick County Consumer Protection Division.

The person lives in the home, and said he found out about the listing when a prospective renter knocked on his door.

Sharon Werner, chief attorney for the Sedgwick County Consumer Protection Division, said the homeowner purchased the property in September.

She said the scammer posted photos on Craigslist from when the home was for sale on Zillow, an online real estate database.

Here’s how the scam works: An online post attracts potential renters to apply for the property by submitting personal information and money for a deposit.

The scammer then takes the deposit money and personal information without following through on an offer for rent.

Sometimes the scam involves homes that are for sale, but falsely explains the house was taken off the market and instead listed for rent.

The posts encourage the renter to drive by the property, but instructs them not to contact the reality company because the company no longer has the keys.

The posts often list rental prices far below the comparable market rate.

Some posts include fake descriptions about the owners being out of the country for an emergency and instruct renters to send the deposit check to an address overseas.

“One of the earmarks of it is they’re not available to show it,” Werner said. “As soon as you wire money, you for sure won’t get any back.”

She said prospective renters should be wary of anyone who requires a deposit before showing a property, or who has a great deal of urgency to receive money. She said consumers should also check the Sedgwick County property tax site, https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/propertytax/, to verify ownership.

Tim Holt, board member of the Realtors of South Central Kansas and owner of Golden Realtors, said he most commonly sees the scam with properties actively listed for sale, because scammers pull photos from listing sites.

But Holt said there’s not a lot sellers can do to prevent it.

He said he hears about these rental scams at least once a month, sometimes more.

“It happens more than people realize,” he said.

If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, call the Sedgwick County Consumer Protection Division at 316-660-3653.

This story was originally published March 12, 2016 at 2:35 PM with the headline "Renters advised to watch out for Craigslist scams."