Boulder District Attorney Warns of Rental Listing Scams

(Boulder County, Colo.) -- District Attorney Michael Dougherty advises consumers looking for rental housing or vacation rentals in Boulder County to use caution when considering rentals offered through marketplace websites such as craigslist.org.  The Community Protection Division of the DA’s office has received a number of reports from those looking for rental housing and vacation rentals in Boulder County of inaccurate or fake rental listings posted on marketplace websites.

How do the scams work?

Some scammers hijack authentic rentals from property owners, real estate agents, or even vacation rental websites like vrbo.com.  They post photos and addresses of those rental properties, and may alter pertinent details about the rental, such as offering an authentic short-term vacation rental as a long-term rental, or may simply change the email address or other contact information of the real listing.  They then place the modified ad on a marketplace website such as craigslist.  When a potential renter contacts the imposter, the imposter writes back requesting money or personal information, ranging from a driver’s license, social security number, credit card, or even bank account information or a wire transfer.

Sometimes scammers attempt to have a prospective renter send money or authorize payment for the lease or a deposit, claiming they can rent it, but that it isn’t available to show right now.  Scammers will use excuses like saying the “owner” is out of town.  Because the deal is so good, or because the prospective renter is so desperate to rent the property, the renter agrees to send or authorize funds.

Other schemes involve made-up listings for places that aren’t for rent or don’t exist, and scammers try to lure prospective renters in with the promise of low rent, a month or more free, or great amenities.  The goal of these "too-good-to-be-true" deals is to get the prospective renter’s money before the renter finds out that the listing is fake.

Renters Beware!

Being savvy when in search of a rental is well worth the effort.  Here are some tips to avoid being scammed on a rental listing:

Don’t Share Information Before Verifying a Listing.  NEVER rent sight unseen, give out personal, financial information, agree to a credit check, or send money before meeting a verified landlord or property agent in person at the property.

Don’t Pay for a Credit Report.  Some scammers post ads for properties that don’t exist or that belong to other people, then want to charge for a credit report.  The Federal Trade Commission got a court order against one credit monitoring service last year for this credit report scam.  Get a truly free credit report from annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228.

Don’t Pay Up Front.  It’s NEVER a good idea to send money to someone you’ve never met in person, or for a rental you haven’t seen.  If you can’t visit the property yourself, ask someone you trust to go and confirm that it’s for rent, and that it is what was advertised.  In addition to setting up a meeting, do a search on the owner and listing.  If you find the same ad listed under a different name, that’s a clue it may be a scam.

Don’t Wire Money.  There is NEVER a good reason to wire money to pay a security deposit, application fee, first month’s rent, or vacation rental fee, even when you are sent a contract first.  Wiring money is the same as sending cash – once you send it, you have no way to get it back.

Don’t Do Business with Anyone who is “Unavailable.”  Don’t fall for a plan to “get keys into your hands,” or other vague promises of ways to get you access to the rental after you pay money up front.  Don’t send money overseas.  Deal locally and face-to-face.  If you can’t meet in person, see the rental, or sign a lease before you pay, keep looking. 

Report Rental Scams.  If you suspect that a rental listing might be a scam, report it to local law enforcement, the website where the ad was posted, and the Community Protection Division at (303) 441-3700.