I’ve heard of this around here too. Some people are attempting to rent vacant foreclosed properties. In some cases, back in the sticks here, the realtors and banks use old easy to circumvent locks on the property making the scam work very well. They can walk a prospective tenant right in and collect their money on the kitchen counter, then to never be seen again.

I’m not sure of a way to counter this as a renter except perhaps go to the local title company or courthouse to confirm ownership of the property before handing over cash.

A year and a half ago we had the same thing happen to us. They used an email address that made it sound like they were a pastor. A few savvy people made it to us by looking at property records and using google. One person even sent the “pastor” money.

Isn’t is amazing to see what people will do nowadays…how sad is this?!! Unbelievable what scammers try to do in the real estate business…

I just received an email reply from a rental property I found on a local free classifieds website on 6/20 and it brought up some red flags. I’m assuming it’s a scam, so I do not intend on replying. It is a rental home in Andover and after replying to the ad, I received a strange email and have hilited some of it below:

“Calvary greetings to you, also to your house hold.. Thanks for the email and it is my gladness hearing from you.i am Mr Shade Tree the owner of the house you are making inquiry of.Actually I resided in the house with my family,such as my wife and my only daughter before and presently we had packed due to my transfer from my working place and now situated in the (united kingdom) and presently my house is still available for rent …”

“… It is not the money that is the main problem but i want you to keep it tidy all the time so that i will be glad to see it neat when i come around for a check up.”

“SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATIONS FORMS BELOW.” (He asks for full name, phone, address, how soon can I pay, etc.)

“Looking forward to hearing from you with all this details so that i can have it in my file incase of issuing the receipt for you and contacting you …” “Note that the keys and documents of my house is with me here in the united knigdom …” “You will only be able to drive by the house for now but not have a look at the interior until i have sent the keys and documents of the house to you..and the requirement for getting the keys and documents of the house is a fully refundable payment of $1600 …”

This property is also listed on another rental website for $1800/mth rent. I do not know how to prove this is a scam, but want to inform others to be careful.

Here is an email trail from some dude re a rental property I was looking at , it seems you have to teat everything you recieve email wise these days as crooked .
thank god for google I have uncovered at least 20 scams this way already and along the way become a real sceptic.

From: Tim Francis [mailto:timfrancis49 [at] yahoo [dot] com]
Sent: Friday, 2 October 2009 2:34 AMa
To: ME
Subject: Rental Application Accepted…

Hello ,
Thanks very much for your reply,and also I can see your willingness in this rent , So as I shall be renting my house to you,kindly take care of the house so that I might be glad when coming to visit you. However if you are ready to rent the house now,then that will not be a problem but we will advice you pay the 1st month fee now ($600)and the agreement fee $300,after you might have viewed the house to your satisfaction also we would like to send the following document to you via Fedex Or UPS Courier service to the address you send to me and the tracking number will be sent to you so that you can possible know the status of the delivery and delivery time,Please once again,I am giving you this on trust and do not disappoint me and I promise you that,you will love the house. So I am with the below document here with me and I will like to know whether you are ready for the payment of this first month rent and the agreement,which is in total of $900,so as to possibly direct you on how to go about making the payment. Here are the contents of the document.

1) Entrance and the rooms Keys
2)Paper/Permanent house form(Containing your reference details)
3)The house documentary file.
4)Payment Receipt.
5)Full address and driving direction/description of the house…

Kindly get back to me today so that I can arrange on necessary proceedings.. I await your reply as soon as possible.We do hope you enjoy you stay and have a peaceful home.

OUR CONTACT NUMBER:+2347039338184 or 0112347039338184

Regards

— On Thu, 10/1/09,:

From:
Subject: RE: Rent Question
To: “Tim Francis”
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2009, 1:29 AM
Hi Tim,
See below .
Please advise who will be your agent in the USA , or the friend here we will be doing business with. As you are a missionary there I would guess it is someone from your church which church is that ? just curious as to if it is one I have friends attending .

Its interesting how that property still shows as foreclosure , why is that ?

Sorry about all the questions but I am a curious fellow .
Russ

From: Tim Francis [mailto: timfrancis49 [at] yahoo [dot] com ]
Sent: Monday, 28 September 2009 11:09 PM
To:
Subject: Rent Question

Thanks for the mail, you will have to fill the application for so that we can proceed futher..

1)Your Full Name?

2)Your Full Address & Phone Number?
Phone numbers are above.
Cell / mobile is the best contact
3)Are you married?
YES

4)How many people will be living in the house?
MY WIFE AND I

5)Do you have a pet?
Small Persian cat

6)Do you have a car?
Yes

7)Occupation?
Both of us are managers

8)how long lease are you looking for?
12 months at least

9)How soon do you intend moving in?
ASAP

10)Reason for relocating?
Selling our house and have to move out as we have an offer on it .

Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that I can have it in my file incase of issuing the receipt and contacting you. Await your reply so we can discuss on how to get the document and the key to you

From: ME
Subject: RE: $600 / 3br – fannie mae wonderful condo in great location ( Fayetteville )
To: “Tim Francis”
Cc:
Date: Monday, September 28, 2009, 11:52 AM
Hi Tim,
as you can see I am at present in Australia and my wife is in Fayetteville and I I will be returning to Fayetteville in a month or two at the latest.
We will take very good care of your investment and look forward to you making contact with US to get things arranged , I can call you now from Australia to discuss if you wish please let me know a good contact number .
thank you for your prompt response to our inquiry .
look forward to hearing from you soon.
God bless

________________________________________
From: Tim Francis [mailto: timfrancis49@yahoo..com ]
Sent: Mon 28/09/2009 9:13 PM
To: ME
Subject: Re: $600 / 3br – fannie mae wonderful condo in great location ( Fayetteville )
Hello Dear,
Thanks for the email. My wife and I own the house and also want you to know that it was due to my transfer to ( West Africa , Nigeria ) that makes us to leave the house and also want to give it out for rent and looking for a responsible person and God fearing person who can take very good care of the house in my absence.we are not after the money for the rent but want it to be clean all the time and the person that will rent it to take it as if it were its own.

So for now, We are in West Africa and will be staying here for the next 3 years in our new house and also with the document of the house for rent, we try to look for another Agent that we can give this documents before we left but could not find, and we as well do not want our house to be used any how in our absence that is why we took it along with us We came over to Africa for a missionary work, so i hope you will promise us that you will take very good care of the house. So get back to me if you know you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in renting home.Hope you are okay with the price of $600 per month and the security Deposit is $300.Get back to me for the rental application…You can go and view.

Here is the Address : 4176 N Meadow View Dr, Fayetteville AR

NB:You might see a for sale sign in the front of the house, but i and my wife decided not to sell the house anymore so it is now for rent thanks.

Pets Allowed

From:
Subject: $600 / 3br – fannie mae wonderful condo in great location ( Fayetteville )
To: timfrancis49 [at] yahoo [dot] com
Cc: ”
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2009, 12:00 AM
http://fayar..craigslist.org/apa/1388497868.html

Tim, I am very interested in this property can you please call so we can arrange for renting.
I must move urgently so if you could make it a priority, I really like the place and would like to get this rolling very quickly .
Thank you
US