Rental scams: Man moves into Clayton home, loses nearly $4,000 before being removed
A local family got keys to a rental house, moved in, then found out they were victims of a scam that cost them thousands of dollars.
Posted — UpdatedIt's an old scam with a new twist. One that's become so prevalent the rental company involved in this scam now places warning magnets in homes to help protect potential victims.
When Bernard Warren found the home in Clayton, he thought it was a home run. It was perfect for his young family, and so was the price.
"I found it on Craigslist for $900," he said.
Warren texted the "owner," who asked questions about his work, previous home and even if he had a pet.
As part of the application process, Warren had to send a photo of his driver’s license and a selfie.
"He said, 'I can give you the code so you can get the key, so you can go and look in the house and see if you like it,'" said Warren.
Warren loved it. He signed an emailed lease and paid an $1,800 deposit.
Then the "owner" offered an unbeatable deal, saying if Warren paid for two months up front, the third month's rent would be free.
"I was like ok, I’m not gonna pass up that opportunity," said Warren.
That was another $2,000 out of his pocket, on top of the $1,800 deposit.
The scammer even texted: "Make sure you take good care of my house."
A few days later, Warren arrived home to someone parked in his driveway.
They told Warren someone else was moving in that weekend.
"I went in, got the lease and showed it to the man," said Warren.
The man responded, "Yeah, that's not legit. You've been scammed."
He couldn’t believe it, especially after being able to get inside the home.
How the scam works
Turns out, the home was owned by real estate company Main Street Renewal, and the key was in a lockbox.
A scammer stole Main Street’s legitimate internet listing and re-posted it on Craigslist as their own.
When Warren reached out, the scammer used the information he provided to immediately set up a fake account to get the lockbox code.
Minutes later, they sent Warren the code, making it all appear very legitimate
"You can literally meet the scammer in person, and you would have no idea because they have the keys," said Tammy Sorrento.
She says given all of the fraud happening, renters need to search real estate, even voter records online, to verify owners.
Renters should even contact the owners to help protect themselves.
Sorrento also has a caution when providing copies of an ID.
"Type over it 'for rental application' and the date, because I’m seeing a lot of driver’s licenses that are being provided that someone did not do that, and now that driver’s license is on the dark web," she said.
She also suggests examining the price. If rent is notably less than others in the area, that’s a flag.
It’s just too late for Warren and his $3,800.
"That’s money saved that I can’t get back," he said.
Warren is staying with a friend to save money again.
Clayton police are working his case, but say since scammers operate from all over the world, tracking them is likely impossible
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