housing scam--now what??

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 06 Mar 2011 Posts: 2

Hey all, I'm new here and I think I've got a live one!

House for rent listed on Craigslist; the house is real, complete with For Rent sign! however the email reply I got was obviously from a Nigerian scammer who claims to have the keys and documents with them.

So I've got a phone number in the email. What can I do now? I don't know how they can let the house sit empty. It makes me angry!! I would like to see it repossessed so that it can be inhabited by somebody deserving (like ME.)

Anybody seen a scam like this before?

insults and more · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 6:44 am

If you have contacted them with real life details, do not try to bait. You can, however, post their emails (with headers) at ScamWarners so others can be warned.

Good news: the lad has absolutely nothing to do with the house. It belongs almost certainly to a real, honest person. Bad news: lads lie. Unless you have seen the house for rent somewhere else (preferably in person), you're better off assuming every single word of his ad was a lie.

I suggest you PM a mod for advice on what and where to post his details, and for possible help in determining what if any of the ad was real (so you could contact the real owners). I wouldn't be very optimistic about that, though.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 06 Mar 2011 Posts: 2

Cool, thanks! Very Happy

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 22 Mar 2011 Posts: 1

I am looking for a rental in a certain town and responded to an ad and was told to immediately wire 850 dollars to hold the house. There is no agent locally, I cannot view the house except for the outside, and he and his wife had to got to the UK for oil drilling (?) Once I pay the full amount they will mail me the keys. I've had about 6 exchanges with him and it's been fun. The funny thing is I went into the actual real estate office that is the property manager for that house. You think I should tell the Remax that their property is a pawn in a scam?

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 2:28 pm

Welcome Penguin Slayer!

Unfortunately, there is nothing Remax will be able to do about it. They need to post pictures. descriptions, and addresses on their website where scammers can harvest them.

Remax could put a general scam warning on their homepage if they haven't already done it - however, they might consider it would scare customers away altogether.

Please, could you visit our sister site, ScamWarners, and post the details of the scam? It will protect other potential victims who google them

Thanks for posting!

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 30 Mar 2011 Posts: 12

I'm sure some body has posted. We will offer you a forward fee 'for my interior decorator ya haa' and (leave your number) I vill call you ya And shout at you - scare you.

So now that you are 'terrified' make yourself a cup of tea, scratch your nuts. DO NOT leave it too long - return after switching the kettle on and give it "she's just coming" then bung the phone on the sofa and turn up the volume on Deep Space Nine.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18313

Hi and welcome to Eater. I don't understand what your post means. Could you please explain?