Press Release from Michigan City Police
An online classified advertisement featuring a
great apartment for a "too good to be true" price may not
be the perfect match after all.
The Michigan City Police want to warn consumers
that scammers are using free classified websites to prey on those looking for
an apartment or landlords looking for renters. Here's an example of how the
rental property scam works:
You start
emailing with the "owner" of an apartment or house that you would like to rent
and the person says the place is yours if you wire money to cover an application
fee or security deposit before someone else (First come First Serve
mentality). The reason people fall for this is because
they want to get the "good deal" before someone else does..You wire the money,
and then never hear from the "owner" again.
How does this happen? Scammers hijack legitimate
listings, change the contact information and then list the modified ads on
another site; or they make up listings for places that are not really for rent.
Now just the opposite. If you are an owner with
an online ad for an apartment, a "renter" may contact you by email
and then send you a check for a deposit. Later the "renter" tells you they
want to cancel and needs you to wire the money back. Unfortunately, victims
wire the money before noticing the scammer's check was a fake.
"Scammers" prefer to use wire
transfer companies like Western Union and Money Gram because it's like sending
cash and they get the money quickly. Typically, there's no way to reverse a
transfer or trace the money, and money wired to another country can be picked
up at multiple locations, so it's almost impossible for the police to identify or track someone
down.
The
Indiana Attorney General's Office offer the following tips for apartment
seekers and owners:
- If
the rental price sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Research
average rental rates for similar properties in the area.
- If
you're communicating by email, check for common red flags like poor
grammar, misspellings, character/spacing mistakes, and excessive
capitalization.
- Most
renters want to see the property before they commit; if they don't,
chances are you're dealing with a scammer. Another red flag is if they
have an unusually strong sense of urgency to get you to rent or rent your
property to them very early in communications with them.
- Be
cautious when dealing with people who say they currently live overseas or
are out of the country on business. Scammers tell victims this to explain
why they can't meet in person. Be cautious also if they prefer to
communicate via e-mail only.
- Don't
send money to anyone you don't know and trust.
- Never
agree to deposit a check from someone you don't know and then wire money
back. Remember you are responsible for the checks you deposit, so if a
check turns out to be a fake, you owe the bank the money you withdrew.
As always if you feel that you have been scammed or someone is
attempting to cheat you please contact Sgt. Chris Yagelski 873-1461 ext. #333
or email ASKACOP@Emichigancity.com
