Delaware State Police are reporting classified advertising rental scams that have cropped up in the state.
Troopers report that scammers are using Craigslist, Zillow.com, and other methods in posting phony classified ads.
Victims fall victim to this scam after responding to an online classified ad on CraigsList, Zillow or other sites for a rental property.
Victims say they were told by the landlord that they needed to wire a specified amount of money as a deposit and were told they will receive the keys to the rental home.
When the victims asked if they could check out the property first, the landlords claimed that they were out of the country and could not show the house. Often the real homeowners have their house up for sale, not rent, and had pictures posted online that are used by the scammers.
Troopers advised potential renters of the following warning signs:
• The deal sounds too good to be true. Scammers will often list a rental for a very low price to lure in victims.
• The landlords claim he is living elsewhere and prefers to communicate via e-mail.
• The landlord requires a substantial deposit before handing over the keys or even showing the home. Don’t pay any money before inspecting the home, inside and out.
• The landlord asks the renter to wire money through wire transfer services such as Western Union or Money Gram. Money sent via wire transfer service is extremely difficult to retrieve and once the scammers have picked it up; there is little recourse.
