BiggerPockets

Anyone have any problems in their area with craigslist scammers. I have this guy in africa that takes pictures of my listings and places them for rent on craigslist. I am getting calls weeking from renters wondering why my name is on the sign and why I am in africa. I am curious if anyon else is having this issue.

Eric, we've seen that up here even in remote Bozeman; the WSJ just ran an article on that in the past 10 days - might be worth digging that one up online if you have a subscription....

I was also wondering what was in this for the scammer. There was an article in this weekend's Denver Post that explained this.

A scammer, often in the scammer haven of west Africa, copies your pictures and puts up an ad for a rental. They say they had to transfer suddenly, and the place is now for rent. The rent is below market. When you, as a potential tenant, contact them, you find out they are in Africa, and have the keys. They will send these to you so you can check it out. But wait, who the heck are you, wanting the keys to my house? You need to send me a deposit of $1500, wired to my bank in Africa, THEN I'll send you the keys.

That's the last you'll ever see of that $1500.

I have heard and read from other agents that when they are posting rentals on craig list, scam artists will copy the ad contents and post with their email contact info. People who inquire are sent a this type email...

Hello,
Thanks for your response regarding your interest in having my apartment for rent.The apartment is much available for now.I want you to know that I am the owner of this building situated at XXX Malaya Way, Centennial Denver .But i am now presently in West Africa for my Hopitals Project prayer crusade with my wife and we have the keys right here with us.I will like to inform you that it was due to my transfer that makes us to leave the house and also want to give it out for rent and looking for a resposible person that can take very good care of it as we are not after the money for the rent but want it to be clean at the time and the person that will rent it to take it as if it were its own.So for now,We are here in West Africa,NIGERIA our new house and also with the keys of the house,we are trying to look for an agent that we can give this document before we left but could not see and we are as well as dont want our house to be used any how in our absent that is why we took it along with us here.We are only willing to give the apartment out to a lovely and caring family only, so if you know you cannot give the apartment the neatness it deserves please don't contact me.But if you promise to always take good care of the apartment,get back to me on how you could take care of our house or perhaps experience you have in rentiong home.Hope you are okay with the monthly price of $1000 with hydro,heat laundry facilities,air-condition and the security deposit is $300.i look forward to hearing from you ASAP so that i can forward you an application to fill out and discuss on how to get the house for rent,also are you ready to rent it now or when?pet is allow
Thanks,
Await your reply

If inquirer is interested and wants to rent, they receive this type response from the scammer...

Thanks again for the mail,well you can move in as soon as possible if you want to but right now the house is available all you need is to make the security deposit so that you can be the lucky person for the house okay,below is the payment info

Do send the payment from any Money Gram or Western Union Store close to you. Make it out in the name of my Personal Assistant and forward the payment info to me. As soon as I get it I will commence with sending the keys to you.the names to make the payment with are-

NAME---------------------FELIX IKECHUKWU
STREET------------------78 ROAD, ST PAUL CHURCH OF THE LORD AVENUE
CITY------------------------LAGOS
COUNTRY----------------NIGERIA
TEXT QUESTION?--------WHO IS LORD
ANSWER-----------------JESUS

Thanks and God bless you.

I have also heard of For Sale signs being removed and the copied for sale ad is changed to a rent ad. Once they get the security deposit, adios.

wow, these nigerian scammers do this in the name of God? I hope they go to hell!

I was just going to post something about this.
I heard about another scammer baiter that led a scammer into Congo to get the 'deposit'.