He likes Craigslist, fake rental ads, Western Union and scamming people. If you receive a response from Phillip, please don’t send him money because he really does not have a property for rent.
There isn’t much authorities can do once you send a rental scammer money via Western Union.
Source: Scammers hijack home rental ads
Great article by the way on rental scams and scammers.
Paul Barnes called a Dover, DE man about a house for sale in Smyrna, DE. Barnes claimed to be a real estate investor who wanted to buy the property and turn it into a rental. The man who owned the property was out of town, but told Barnes to go ahead and look at the property. Barnes looked at the property, and took it one step forward by renting it out. Fake documents provided by Barnes claimed JLR Group owned the house. He made off with $5,400 in the transaction.
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…)
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.
Fox News in Dallas covers the Morris Mosley incidents:
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.
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
In Rolla, Mo, a man identified as Dr. Gibert Kenny wanted to rent a property advertised by Floyd and Caroleen Ferrell of Realty Executives/Ferrell Associates. Dr. Kenny was out of country and wanted to pay the whole years rent upfront. They received the check for the entire years rent; however, the good Doctor wanted them to wire some of the money from the check via Western Union to pay for some furniture expenses in Tennessee.
Lets analyze this because we have all the key ingredients for the normal rental scam: fake check for upfront rent; wants money to be paid for furniture via Western Union; and the Doctor is out of country (probably somewhere in the UK).
If you have ever been a landlord, has a tenant EVER offered to pay the entire years rent upfront? (more…)
Here is some more information from Fox news in Orlando about Libra Latham. It appears that she started this scam back in September 2008.
A 43-year-old woman who responded to an ad on Craigslist back in September for a home to rent on Spring Glenn Drive in DeBary. The victim met at the house with a woman who claimed to be a Realtor. Investigators think Latham may have conned an actual Realtor into giving her the access code to the key lock box. The victim paid a $1,500 cash deposit to Latham to rent the home, but later contacted the Sheriffs Office after she discovered that the homeowner didn’t know anything about the rental agreement. (more…)
Libra Latham in Volusia County, FL aka “Shark Bite City” is attacking would-be renters by posing as a rental agent and stealing people’s security deposits. Libra has posted other people’s rentals at lower prices on rental boards in hopes they will pay her an upfront security deposit. After sending her money for the security deposit, she fails to provide keys for the places and she doesn’t return your phone call. (more…)
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