If you've ever browsed for a particular item on Craigslist, you're probably already accustomed to passing right over most of the sketchier listings. And while millions of transactions are completed safely each year, Craigslist has been called a “cesspool of crime” based on the ones that go bad.
Granted, a miniscule percentage of Craigslist crime turns out to be violent in nature. The vast majority ends up being scam artists simply targeting people who make themselves vulnerable looking for a good deal. Consider the 49ers fan who was duped into believing he was buying Super Bowl tickets earlier this month — with a price tag of $5,900 — only to receive an envelope in the mail that said “Go Ravens!” instead. It's not as difficult as you may think to fall into scams like this one. “For a week I was on the phone with this guy,” the fan said afterward. “That’s the only reason we [trusted him].”
Consumerist has 5 easy ways to pick up on those subtle red flags (in this case, a rental listing):
- No Photos. The property has just about everything you’d need. So where are the photos to show off all these features? Much like people who refuse to post photos on their online dating profiles, it’s a justifiable cause for concern.
- Email Address that Looks Generated. Since the listing doesn’t give a phone number, the only way to find out more is to contact the poster by e-mail. When the other person writes back using an e-mail that looks like it’s been through the consonant grinder — “kydixororaqep” — you’re likely dealing with someone using auto-generated e-mail accounts so as to make things harder to trace.
- Getting WAY Too Much for Your Money. Show me a landlord who is completely cool with paying for everything, including the lawn maintenance — and I’ll show you someone who is probably trying to trick you out of some money. These listings are made to appeal to as many people as possible, in the hopes of victimizing as many people as possible.
- Credit Checks. Credit checks for rental properties are certainly not unheard of, but e-mails assuring that it’s okay if you have bad credit (and apparently up to two previous evictions) is just dandy… that’s an indicator that this “landlord” is just trying to prey on people with substandard credit in need of a place to live.
- No Address. There are millions of homes in North America for sale or rent with their addresses listed on Craigslist, Zillow, and countless other sites. Excuses not to provide an address are just that… excuses.
Have you ever fallen for an internet scam, or caught one before it happened. Tell us your wildest story.