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  • Geebo 9:02 am on December 29, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: campsite, , , , real estate, , , , ,   

    You can be scammed at any vacation lodging 

    You can be scammed at any vacation lodging

    By Greg Collier

    Currently, we’re still in the middle of the Christmas vacation season. We hope our readers’ vacation plans went off without a hitch. Hopefully, you didn’t have to experience the massive flight cancellations that took place over the holiday weekend. We also hope your vacation lodging was also to your liking.

    The reason we brought up lodging specifically it that there have been a coupe of stories in the news about people being scammed out of their lodging choices. For example, vacationers to Marco Island, Florida, showed up to what they thought were vacation homes that they rented, only to find out they were rented to someone else. It seems that the victim in these cases paid money to scammers who listed the vacation rentals online but didn’t actually own the properties they claimed to rent. This is just a variation of the rental scam where people think they’re renting a home they found on craigslist when the home is either actually for sale or being rented by a real estate agency instead of some guy from craigslist.

    So instead of getting a rental home, you decide to go camping. There’s no way you can be scammed camping, right? It turns out you can, The state of Indiana is warning campers about third-parties who are claiming to rent out campsites at state parks and forests. The scammers collect the money, but when the campers get to the site they thought they paid for, the site has actually been rented to someone else. In the Hoosier State, campers can only reserve campsites in the state parks through the state itself. Check to see if the state you’re going camping in has the same rules.

    Hotels and short-term rental platforms like Airbnb have their own set of scams to worry about. You can read more about those here and here.

    If you chose to stay home for the holidays this year, you may have made the safest choice of all.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on December 14, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: real estate, , ,   

    Scammers are selling tiny homes 

    By Greg Collier

    For the past few years, there’s been a trend on social media of people building or buying tiny homes. Most of the people who do so cite financial reasons for why they became enamored with tiny home living. While tiny home living isn’t for everyone, it can’t be denied that rising housing costs have created this relatively new market. But just because you may be thinking about taking the leap into a tiny home lifestyle, that doesn’t mean you should take the decision lightly.

    In South Carolina, The Manufactured Housing Institute of South Carolina is warning residents of the Palmetto State about scammers who are claiming to sell tiny homes. According to the MHISC, scammers are trying to pass off modified storage sheds as tiny homes. The scammers are said to be selling these structures from the roadside. These structures are said to have the barest of amenities added to them and are still considered illegal structures by the state if they were to be used as a home. They are said to lack proper ventilation and other safety standards required in most homes.

    In many ways, moving into a tiny home is more work than buying a ‘standard’ size home. If you’re thinking about taking the plunge into a tiny home, there is a ton of research that needs to be done before you even start building. We think it’s pretty obvious to say that you shouldn’t buy a home from a side of the road vendor with a spray-painted and misspelled sign. Unless you stop at a vegetable stand, there’s not a lot you should be buying off the side of the road. Most importantly, you need to check your state and local regulations regarding tiny homes. Some jurisdictions have banned them outright. You also have to worry about financing, as most traditional housing lenders won’t give loans for tiny homes. Then you have to worry about your new home being up to code as well.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on October 21, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , real estate, ,   

    Single mother pressured into rental scam 

    Single mother pressured into rental scam

    By Greg Collier

    Sometimes life throws challenges in our way that we’re not ready for. One minor bump in the road can have such a ripple effect that we find ourselves hoping for a miracle, so we can escape a desperate situation. For example, a single mother of three from Virginia need to find a new home immediately for her and her family after recovering from a number of illnesses. However, instead of finding a miracle, she found a scammer waiting to rob her of the little money she had saved for a deposit on a new home.

    She had found an affordable rental on Facebook Marketplace where her kids wouldn’t have to change schools. After filling out an ‘application’ to rent the property, the landlord said that there was another person who was getting ready to rent the property. If she still wanted to rent the property, she would need to pay the landlord right away through gift cards, since she couldn’t get away from her job. Unfortunately, she did end up sending $900 in gift cards to the supposed landlord for a property that wasn’t even being rented.

    As with most rental scams, online listings are copied from ads where homes are for sale instead of being available for rent. Scammers will copy ads off of Zillow and repost them on free platforms like Facebook Marketplace. The fake ads will almost always have the same word for word description used in the Zillow ad. Then the properties are listed for below-market value rent to lure victims into the scam.

    While everyone’s situation is different, no matter how desperate you may be, a rental property should be researched first before handing over any money. A quick web search of the address will usually bring up the original listing that the fake ones are copied from. And as with any scam, gift cards are a red flag in almost every situation. No real landlord or rental agency will ever ask for gift cards as a form of payment.

    In stressful situations like this, are judgement is often clouded. If you can, always try to take a step back and ask yourself if this situation seems off or too good to be true.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 17, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , landlords, real estate, ,   

    The rental scam from the landlord’s perspective can teach us a lot 

    By Greg Collier

    Recently, landlords have gotten a bad rap due to the eviction crisis brought about by the pandemic. However, many of them are just hardworking people using a property investment to make their living. When it comes to rental scams, we don’t often think of the legitimate landlord as being a victim of the scam. While they may not be losing money like the typical rental scam victim, they are spending precious time and resources to combat the scammers.

    In a typical rental scam, scammers will copy a legitimate listing of a home that’s for rent or for sale. The scammers will then post the property for rent on unmoderated platforms like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Usually, the property will be listed at below-market value rent to try to entice a victim. Once the victim is hooked, the scammers will ask for money in the form of a deposit or first and last month’s rent. Some victims have even tried to move into the property, only to find that someone else is legally living there.

    A landlord from Vermont was recently interviewed by her local media, and she said that she continues to see her properties listed on craigslist by scammers. She also said that scammers are listing her properties on craigslist that aren’t even up for rent. This has led to people knocking on the doors of rented homes asking if they can see the property. The landlord also said that within a 48-hour period, her team will flag up to 15 fraudulent listings on craigslist. It doesn’t help that scammers are also flagging legitimate listings on craigslist as scam ads.

    So, as we always recommend, do your research in a property before committing any money to the process. A web search of the address can reveal a lot such as the legitimate listing if it is, in fact, for rent. Such a web search can also tell you what the typical rent is for that kind of property in the area. However, the best way to prevent falling into a rental scam is to check with the county’s tax assessor’s office or website to find who truly owns the property.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 12, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , real estate, ,   

    Family taken in Bitcoin rental scam 

    Family taken in Bitcoin rental scam

    By Greg Collier

    A family from Eastern Pennsylvania is in the process of relocating to South Carolina due to one of the heads of the household being hired for a new job. The family found the ideal home for rent that they were looking for. It was in the perfect location and was well within their price range. The first problem was that the family found the home on craigslist, which the report we found this story on called “a favored hangout for scammers.” Unfortunately, that was only the beginning of the family’s problems.

    After the family responded to the ad, they thought everything appeared normal. The people they were communicating with appeared to be from a rental company. The family was even sent a rental agreement to sign. However, all communication was done by text and email, which should have been the first sign that this rental company may not be on the up and up. The next sign was that the so-called rental agency asked for a $3500 deposit to be paid in Bitcoin. The scammers had to instruct the family on how to make the Bitcoin payment. After the payment was made, all communication from the supposed seller stopped.

    If you’re looking to rent a home, especially one that’s multiple states away, you really need to research the listing for legitimacy. A web search for the property’s address can turn up so much information, like if the home is actually for sale instead of being for rent. That search may also show that the rent isn’t as cheap as the initial listing said it was, as scammers usually list the home’s rent as cheaper than market value to entice victims. You should also ask for a live virtual tour of the home before making any deposits. If the landlord doesn’t communicate by phone, that’s also a good indicator the listing might be a fake. Lastly, never pay a deposit in any kind of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. While Bitcoin can be traced, it’s anonymous enough that victims rarely, if ever, get their money back.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 11, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , real estate,   

    In danger of being evicted makes a prime target for scammers 

    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.

     

  • Geebo 8:11 am on August 3, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , real estate, , ,   

    More tips on how to avoid a rental scam 

    By Greg Collier

    Since the dawn of online classifieds, the rental scam is probably only 2nd in frequency to the fake check scam. For two decades, rental scammers have been stealing the money from families looking to rent a new home. More often than not, the victims of these scams end up losing the last of their money, so not only can they not move, but they can’t pay the rent at their current residence. While we have much empathy for the victims of rental scams, it is one of the more preventable online scams.

    For example, a woman in Cincinnati recently fell victim to such a scam. She found a house for rent on Facebook Marketplace that was a two bedroom home for just $700 a month. The scammer sent the victim pictures of the home’s interior, but said they couldn’t show the home because they were out of state. The victim still filled out an application and sent a deposit and two months rent to the scammer over the payment app Zelle. In total, the victim lost over $2000.

    Currently, there are simple steps to prevent you from falling victim to this scam. The first thing you should do is a do a web search of the property’s complete address, zip code and all. This first listings in the search should bring up real estate websites Zillow and Realtor.com. Zillow can give you an idea of a more realistic rent, as scammers will almost always list the property well below market value. Realtor.com will let you know if the property is being rented by a real estate agency and their contact info. If that information doesn’t match what you’re being given, you may be dealing with a scammer. If you do a reverse image search from the listing you found, it might take you to one of these websites, meaning the pictures were stolen.

    There are also the red flags of the ‘landlord’ not being able to show the property and the payment through apps like Zelle and Cash App.

    Lastly, if you want to be absolutely sure that you’re dealing with the legitimate owner of the property, do a check with the county’s tax assessor’s website or office.

    It’s better to do a little research to avoid being scammed than acting rashly and losing your money.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 20, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: back taxes, , property tax, real estate,   

    This tax scam tries to claim ownership of your home 

    By Greg Collier

    A tax scam has recently surfaced in Pasco County, Florida. And as we like to say, if a scam can happen in one place, it can happen near you. At least one elderly resident was terrified by this scam, but thankfully she was told it was a scam before lost anything to the scam. A scammer called the woman and told her that they had paid the back taxes on her home, and they now owned it. She did the smart thing by calling the county tax collector’s office, and they informed her that this was all part of a scam. But the question remains, what is the end goal of this scam?

    With most scams today, the end goal is usually to get money out of the victim, but under what guise? One scam that uses a threat like this is one where scammers offer a service where they claim to assist in helping pay your back property taxes, especially if there is a lien on your home. Of course, this service will cost the victim money, but once payment is made, there is no tax assistance given and the scammers have made off with the victim’s payment. It could be that this particular scammer in Florida hasn’t quite grasped how the scam is supposed to work.

    That’s not to say that a home can’t switch ownership due to delinquent taxes. However, the process isn’t as simple as walking into the tax collector’s office and paying off someone’s back taxes. In Florida, the process can take years and requires an auction to take place. It’s probably safe to assume that other states have an equally lengthy process before a home can change hands due to delinquent taxes. So if you receive a call from someone either telling you that they now on your home or can help you pay your back taxes, it’s more than likely a scam.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 13, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , real estate, ,   

    Victim loses closing costs in real estate scam 

    Victim loses closing costs in real estate scam

    By Greg Collier

    When dealing with real estate, rental scams are not the only scam you have to worry about. Lately, we’ve seen an ever-increasing rise in a scam where the victims are set to close on a new home. The scammers are somehow sliding into the home buyer’s email and posing as the loan agency. The scammers then ask for the closing payment to be wired to them. By the time the victim realizes that they’ve been scammed, they’ve lost thousands of dollars with little to no recourse. We can’t even imagine the sense of dread that the victims of this scam feel when they find out they’ve not only lost their closing payment, but also finding out that the deal on their new home might fall through because of it.

    This is exactly what happened to one woman in Alabama when she was getting ready to close on her home. The night before she was getting ready to close on a new home for her and her children, she received an email that appeared to come from her closing agency. The email asked her to wire $6,000 for the closing costs. On closing day, she received a call from her bank asking her if anyone else had contacted her about the closing cost. She was then told that whoever contacted her wasn’t from the bank. As in most cases, once the wire transfer was sent, the money was unrecoverable.

    If you’re working with a loan agency, bank or credit union to obtain a mortgage for a new home, be suspicious of any communication asking you to send money. If you receive an email like the one in the story above, call the bank to verify that they sent the email in the first place. It would be even better to visit the bank in person to verify any requests. No one wants to go through the process of buying a new home only to have the deal fall through at the very last minute.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 8, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , real estate, ,   

    Scams increase as scramble for housing begins 

    By Greg Collier

    Currently, there is a mad dash for many people to find housing. Between people looking for summer rentals, college students returning to actual classes, and just people looking for a new place to live, housing is at a premium. As is always the case, scammers are already using the market to find victims.

    In a nutshell, scammers will copy real estate listings from legitimate realtors and post them on sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. The rent will be listed considerably below market value. The victim will usually be asked to make payment by money transfer or payment app. More often than not, the scammer will make an excuse as to why they can’t show you the property personally. Victims have even moved into homes before finding out that they’ve been ripped off.

    There are several steps you can take to help you avoid these scams. First, do a web search of the address of the property. If there are several listings of the same property with different contacts and wildly varying rents, then something is definitely amiss. If a listing says that the property is for sale and not for rent, the odds are pretty good that the listing with the home for sale is the actual listing. You can also carry out a reverse image search on the photos used in the listing. Sometimes the same photos will be used on multiple fraudulent listings for properties that aren’t even in the same city. However, the most secure step you can take is to check with the county’s assessor’s office or website. They’ll have all the legal information about the property.

    You can even take steps to prevent fraud if you’re the person renting the property out. If you’re selling the home, consider putting a ‘not for rent’ sign along with the for sale sign. Scammers will often come up with a story as to why the property is for rent even though there is a for sale sign. If you find your property being listed by a scammer, contact the website to have it removed. You can also set up a Google Alert with the properties address to be notified whenever someone tries to list the property fraudulently.

     

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