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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 11, 2021 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: advance fee scam ( 42 ), credit repair ( 2 ), Eviction, eviction moratorium ( 2 ), loan scam ( 6 ), real estate ( 117 ), Scams ( 1,224 )   

  In danger of being evicted makes a prime target for scammers 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The Federal Government has extended the eviction moratorium to October 3rd. Not only does this give tenants extra time to try to improve their situation, but it also gives scammers more opportunities to find more victims. Scammers are always looking for victims who are in a desperate situation, and there’s no situation more desperate than the possibility of losing your home. To scammers, it doesn’t matter if you only have a little money to your name. They’ll try to take it anyway. And now they’re trying to take it from those trying to keep a roof over their heads.

  The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning to those looking for any kind of rental assistance. Too many scammers are out there now, offering services that are too good to be true. The scams run from phony credit repair services to ‘guaranteed’ loan services. While there are legitimate credit repair services, consumers need to keep an eye out for repair services that make promises they can’t keep, like removing a bankruptcy from your credit report. And no loan is ever guaranteed. Those who are offering such loans will probably ask for an upfront or advance fee and not provide any service.

  There are also government grant scams to look out for. While there are government grants that provide financial assistance to some tenants, the government will never reach out to you. And again, the grant scammers will ask for an advance payment disguised as processing fees. Real grants require no such fee.

  However, the BBB has been warning about one particular scam lately. In it, the scammers call you to tell you that your loan is approved. They’re hoping that you’ve applied for at least one loan to help improve your situation. The scammers will then say that before they can release the loan money, you need to increase your credit score. All you need to do is wait for $1000 to show up in your bank account then once you send the $1000 back, your credit score will be improved enough to get the loan. The money deposited into your account is fraudulent and if you send it to the scammers before your bank catches the fraudulent transaction, you’re not only responsible for the $1000 but any overdraft fees as well.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on June 15, 2021 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Eviction, eviction moratorium ( 2 ), rental assistance, Scams ( 1,224 )   

  Scammers prey on people fearing eviction 

  

  By Greg Collier

  In case you weren’t aware, the federal moratorium on housing evictions is set to expire at the end of this month, June 2021. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t people who are still struggling to pay their rent in the aftermath of the pandemic. This is the exact kind of situation that scammers thrive on, with people who are so desperate for help they’re willing to listen to anyone who claims to be offering help. One such offer saw someone lose what little money they had left.

  A woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma received a phone call from someone claiming to help her get federal assistance money to help pay her rent. All the caller needed was the woman’s bank account information. The woman provided her banking information and within minutes her last $400 was gone. Some people will say that it’s obvious that this was a scam. While hindsight is 20/20, just imagine being in this woman’s shoes. She has four children and desperate not to get evicted. In that kind of panicked state of mind, it’s easy to become a victim to scammers.

  Scammers don’t care if you’re living paycheck to paycheck or if you have no paycheck coming in. You could only have $5 in your bank account and the scammers will try to take it. If you receive one of these phone calls, just hang up. Please keep in mind that the government really doesn’t reach out to people through unsolicited phone calls. In the majority of cases, you have to go to them. However, if you need rental assistance, there is still a federal program that is offering rental assistance. You can also check with local or regional charities to see if any of them are offering assistance as well.

   
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  Greg Collier 2:30 pm on April 14, 2014 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Airbnb ( 13 ), Eviction, Rent Control, Rent Ordinances, Rentals ( 14 ), San Francisco ( 8 )   

  Risky Business: Watch for Business Models that Boost the Bottom Line but Tarnish the Reputation 

  There’s an interesting debate going on in San Francisco with Airbnb, where a crackdown on short-term rentals – especially those being advertised on online sites like Airbnb – are leading to lease violations and eviction notices.

  The site, Airbnb, connects people looking to make a few bucks by renting out space in their own homes with visitors who are looking to save a few bucks by using alternative accommodations when they pop into a city for a short visit.

  It’s kind of like they’re hotel rooms, except that they’re not. They’re residential homes and apartments. And in San Francisco, the two – residential units and hotel rooms – are not allowed to mix, by law. In a city with tight housing and even tighter rental laws, the crackdown is sending some otherwise law-abiding citizens to the streets, evicted for letting a stranger crash on the couch every now and then.

  It’s an unfortunate story, though it appears that the city and Airbnb are working together to provide some better clarity around the ordinances, including a hotel tax on Airbnb transactions, which will certainly change the dynamic of the debate down the road. That may not change things for those affected – but at least it recognizes the problem. And that’s a start.

  In the meantime, at least one lawyer has raised the question about Airbnb’s share of responsibility in what’s happening to its customers during this crackdown. Is it the responsibility of Airbnb to provide each person who submits a listing with a notice of all laws and regulations – whether local, statewide or national? Or is it enough to remind people to check their local laws and leases before renting the spare room for a weekend?

  It’s a question that the company has faced before. A few years ago, I chimed in about some growing pains that Airbnb was experiencing as it was dealing with reports of people who were trashing rental units. The company rode that storm nicely and went on to see some amazing growth, with listings now expanding in Europe and investors suggesting a $10 billion valuation, bigger than some hotel chains.

  Airbnb, a site much like Geebo in that it connects two parties with a common interest, should have a responsibility to inform people of the risks they are about to engage in and, in some certain circumstances, take extra steps to ensure that people are compliant with the law.

  Geebo is a site with listings from cities across the nation across a wide range of categories. For the site to specify each of the laws and ordinances for each of the cities and each of the categories of products or services is unrealistic. In that sense, I understand Airbnb’s defense. On the other hand, I also understand the need for a company to be accommodating and to take action to be better safe than sorry.

  Years ago, I removed personal ads from Geebo’s listings, in part because I felt that what was being advertised wasn’t appropriate for my site. I’m not suggesting that Airbnb block listings with San Francisco addresses (or am I?) but perhaps it could do something else to drive home the point, maybe an extra acknowledgment prompt before the final submission.

  I want to make sure that my visitors have a good experience and that they return the next time they’re looking for something specific. I would think that Airbnb would like the same.