Rental Scam Information – Protecting the Public from Rental Scammers

The Money Order Rental Scam

Scammers will try to make the victim feel as comfortable as possible. Here is one way they do it.

1. Scammer posts rental ad on a large free classifieds site and makes rental price extremely low
2. The victim finds the ad and wants to rent the property
3. Communication between the scammer and victim begins
4. Scammer tells victim he is out of the country on business
5. To ensure the victim has funds. the scammer asks the victim to wire money ($2,000) to any of the victims friends. This is suppose to make the victim feel better because they are wiring it to their own friend
6. The scammer asks to see the receipt that funds have been transfered to the victims friend through MoneyGram
7. With Money orders, the recipient can pick up the funds anywhere in the world. With the information on the receipt, the scammer picks up the money.