We have a rental property that we manage for an out of town owner. I had posted it on the rental section of our local MLS and also in the local newspaper. I got a call yesterday from a man who saw it on craigslist. It was on there and the ad said the rent was about half of what we are actually requiring. The email that craigslist redirected to was not valid.
We got an email from another agent today who found one of her properties on a rental/application website. It had been listed without her permission, and ours was on there too.
Has anyone else experienced this?
I have heard of these scams, but to be hit with two in one week just blows me away!

I do not get why someone would do that. What a way to mess things up for you.

sounds like they are building a database of renters to prospect...and since they lower the rent...they probably get a lot of calls....

either that or just trying to make sure you cant rent your units...

either way...very sad

A "database of renters to prospect" or, worse, to SELL.

Looks like a scam, especially today when any task can be automated or outsourced for pennies...

Can you guess how the information was stripped?


-AP

I have clients who were hit with the scam. The imposters post a house that is for sale or rent on the MLS for a fraction of the going rate. They ask responders to fill out a short application and then wire or fedex a small deposit so they can send the keys. I flag them regularly on craigslist. My clients sent $500 which actually doesn't worry as much as the personal information they included on the application that they sent.

[quote=colemacj]I have clients who were hit with the scam. The imposters post a house that is for sale or rent on the MLS for a fraction of the going rate. They ask responders to fill out a short application and then wire or fedex a small deposit so they can send the keys. I flag them regularly on craigslist. My clients sent $500 which actually doesn't worry as much as the personal information they included on the application that they sent. [/quote]

That is scary. I have never heard or thought of this scam, amazing what people will do. I am sure the local authorities will do nothing because it is Craigslist and the internet being the almighty gray area. Thanks for the heads up...