It has been reported that scammers are continuing to target REALTORS® in our area by listing houses that are for sale as "rentals" on Craigslist. Scammers take residential properties that are for sale and repost them as rentals asking for deposits to secure the deal on Craigslist ads. This has been an ongoing issue since 2012. Please be aware of these scams and follow these tips to deal with them:
- Agents can set-up a Google alert for their listings so that when new results for that address show up in Google Search they will be notified in an email.
- Should you discover one of your listings reposted on Craigslist, immediately "Flag" the posting as "prohibited" and Craigslist will immediately remove the post.
- File an online complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
- Notify the local authorities. Note that the perpetrators are typically located out-of-state/country, but there have been some arrests made locally as well.