There is a real Dave Erickson trying to sell his house, but he is not at that email address. If a person from the above email address responds to your inquiry of a home, don’t trust them and don’t send them any money.
The first potential victim is the real homeowner. The second potential victim are renters like Casey Reves. “Got on the internet and just typed up houses for rent on yahoo search.” Reves thought she found her dream house. (more…)
A couple in Sacramento were very surprised to find that their home which is for sale had a family living in it. The family produced a rental agreement that they signed with man who posted it for rent on Craigslist. Moreover, the family had been paying him $1,000 a month to live in the house that the man did not own!
Sacramento police offered these words of advice to potential renters:
Before entering into a rental agreement, police advise that the potential renter do some homework.
“The best thing is to do research on the place,” Leong said.
Keys are not a sign of legitimacy, as a scam artist could have had the locks changed.
Instead, potential renters can go online to the county recorder’s office to see who owns the house. They also can ask the alleged landlord for a property deed.
And if the landlord keeps his or her distance - refusing to offer a phone number, for example, or giving a P.O. Box - “that should be a red flag, too,” Leong said.
Dr. Ablert Missbichler was nice enough to make me this handsome offer.
Now, I know this not a rental scam, but it is definitely a scam, and it is put together by the same people who put together the online rental scams.
From: Dr. Albert Missbichle [mailto:AlbertMissbichler@coreylayton.com]
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2009 3:46 PM
Subject: *****SPAM***** Urgent Telegraphic / Swift Transfer of: USD$150 Million.
1th February, 2009
th February, 2009
Dear Sir/ Madam.
Urgent Telegraphic / Swift Transfer of: USD$150 Million.
I got your contact from January, 2009 worldwide database and yellow pages encyclopedia after due consideration believing you are highly respected personality. Although, I do not know to what extent you are familiar with events, hence I decided to contact you.
(more…)
Phillis Powers, 52, Sandra Barney, 54, Carver Barney, 57, and Dennis Eugene, 49, are wanted by Sacramento police for alleged criminal trespass. Sgt. Norm Leong said all four people conspired to unlawfully enter the house on 3700 Clubside Lane.
A community in Sacramento, CA spoiled the efforts of 4 rental scammers in an attempt to lease a vacant foreclosed home. Neighbors noticed some suspicious activity going on at the vacant house and called police. Police arrived to find a relative of the Barney’s who cleaning out the house.
From MSNBC.com, Casey Guthrie found a house that he wanted to rent in Milford, CT. He emailed the person who posted the ad to find out more about the property; however, he was given all the classic signs of a Nigerian rental scam. Below are some dead giveaways from the scammer in this particular instance:
“I contacted the people and they informed me they were from Nigeria and they were missionaries,” Guthrie said.
Strike 1 - Missionaries in Nigeria
They emailed him a rental application. The emails contained lots of biblical quotes and stories from Africa.
Strike 2 - Biblical quotes to attempt to appear trustworthy.
When he asked about payment, they told him to wire the first month’s rent and security deposit, a total of $2,000, via Western Union. That was the red flag.
Strike 3- Western Union - YOU ARE OUT! WESTERN UNION = SCAM!
Source: Craigslist Scam Warning by Lauren Petty
Fox News in Dallas covers the Morris Mosley incidents:
Elk River Police in Minnesota investigated a man who was trying to rent an apartment from an apartment complex. He sent a check for $5,5oo and wanted the apartment complex to send any extra money from the check to a furniture company to cover his furniture expenses since he was coming from London. The man claimed he was from London, but they traced the call back to a Airport in Georgia.
The following names were used in the scam: Enger Paul, Charles Collins and Per Edward.
From Palms Spring, CA, a man by the name of Collins Jones is advertising other people’s rental properties on Craigslist. Collins claims to have been relocated to Nigeria for his job as a supervisor with Chevron. Don’t let him fool you for second - he is trying to scam you out of your security deposit and first months rent.
We have been covering several of these stories recently, and I just wanted to bring attention to this growing trend. Sometime ago, a clever scam artist decided that renting out foreclosed homes was a easy way of making some quick cash; nevertheless, the idea has caught on across the country. The most recent incident involves several scammers in Orange County, CA:
Alexander Braslavsky, 34, and Anthony Patrick Marshall, 38, pleaded guilty to grand theft last Sept. 24.
The defendants made full restitution to the victims before Christmas, but Vista Superior Court Judge Daniel Goldstein sentenced them to the maximum jail term under the plea agreement, said Deputy District Attorney Anna Winn.
Braslavsky and Marshall — who has a real estate license — posted ads on the craigslist Web site for five foreclosed homes in Carlsbad, Corona and Stanton and rented them out, the prosecutor said. (more…)
This is a very unusual case out of Dallas, TX. Morris Mosley, who is a preacher and ex-mayoral candidate, is accused of renting out foreclosed homes. Now, I consider myself an open-minded person, but read this quote:
“He took out a screwdriver out of his pocket and he said, “I had to wiggle the lock a bit. I have to open the door like this, so I can change the locks,’” she said.
Now, I was not there and I have no idea what he said when he did this, but wouldn’t you question why he is wiggling off a lock to get into the house?
Source: Former mayoral candidate faces new illegal renting charges
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