Real Estate Rental Scams (Scrape Listing and Repost as a Fake Rental)
In addition to reporting to the offending website so the scam rental ad can be taken down….
Here are some more solutions:
Sign in yard "NOT FOR RENT" to deter drive up renter victims.
Yard sign can be in the photograph of front yard posted online and MLS.
Also…watermarking photographs online "NOT FOR RENT" to prevent scraping and posting to Craigslist, etc.
You can automate your internet patrol via Google Alerts with listing data (address and photos).
In addition to reporting to the offending website for their removal, you can report to FBI’s www.ic3.gov (ic3.gov is not an action oriented website where you report and FBI flies to Nigeria to make arrest…instead FBI is compiling statistics…with limited resources, the feds allocate time and budget to big problems first….so if enough REALTORS and owners and victim renters report enough real estate scams to www.ic3.com then US State Department can pressure countries to make arrests).
Most rental scam crooks are overseas but some are in the USA.
Posted by : Byron King on 5/8/18 (This information is only accurate as of 5/8/18. You must contact SCR for updates and changes to this information after 5/8/18 as laws and regulations may change over time. SCR 803-772-5206 or email info at screaltors.org)