How can you spot and beat Craigslist’s real estate con artists?
Connecticut has seen a huge wave of criminals attempting to cash in, in the wake of hurricane Sandy. Coinciding with an increase in online real estate scams and an even larger number of local vacant homes this presents a virtual minefield for those looking for rent or buy homes in CT.
These rip-off artists are becoming ever more sophisticated and are going well beyond simply being opportunistic to launch well thought out scams. The most common of these today centers on running internet ads on the popular classified directory Craigslist in an attempt to dupe would be renters and home buyers out of their precious cash.
They are getting harder to spot too as scammers include photos, match up property addresses with owners’ names and capitalize on the current need for affordable housing and desire to find great deals on buying Connecticut real estate.
Scammers will now weave great stories to throw prospective tenants and buyers off and lower their guard. They will claim they are out of town on charity causes or on missions trips for the church and make it appear easy to rent or buy from them.
Some obvious signs to watch out for include asking for upfront money to be sent overseas, not being able to meet in person, suggesting callers break-in to take a look at the property, asking for upfront money before viewing the interior, email addresses and phone numbers which don’t match other internet or public records.
Sadly these real estate scams often target those most in need of housing and least financially able to weather a big loss. If you come across them online, challenge them and don’t just let them skate, report them to Craigslist to have them taken down so no one else is robbed.
