Fake rental listings?

Question

Hey everyone,

I'm looking at a duplex in a class A area in Michigan. It is a homepath property that I verified is still a available and I am going to look at today.

While looking up more Info online I realized there was a rental listing for it posted on zillow 2 days ago. This got me thinking maybe someone who is considering the property wanted to see what rental interest there is before buying?

This place also needs cosmetic work as far as paint and flooring and these pictures on the rental listing are the same as the sale listing. You would think if trying to rent it you would do the paint and floors then post the ad!

Anyone else run across anything like this??

Tim Barry · Answer

Another idea that I came up with... when first looking at this it just came up as for sale, but now when I look the rental post on zillow shows over the for sale ad. This may just also be a way to make it less marketable as my first thought was noticing it was now for rent was that someone already jumped on this and purchased before me. Maybe just buying someone some time or possibly getting it at a lower price.

Arjun K. · Answer

Why not bust them with the police?

Johnny Brown · Answer

Great heads up. I will also watch out for that.

Mark Graffagnino · Answer

This happened to me where someone copied my ad and reposted it on another website for $200 less rent.  They were looking for someone to send them the security deposit by Western Union and then they would send the keys.  I answered the ad and strung him along for about a week or so posing as a renter who was going to wire the funds.....so I at least had a little fun with it.

Karen Margrave · Answer

I ran across a similar situation in Newport Beach, CA, and ended up tracking down the actual absentee owner, and informed them of the situation. Someone was setting up appointments for people to go see the property, and hoping to collect deposits, rent, etc. The area is very high in demand, and the prices are extremely high, such a scam for a day could be VERY lucrative.

Tim Barry · Answer

I left a message...waiting to hear back.

It does seem to be listed just enough below market rent to make it very appealing.

Its obvious now it is some kind of scam but I am curious on what the angle is, to scam people's deposit money or to see if there is plenty of interest for a potential buyer.

I'll let y'all know what I find.

Kurt Kwart · Answer

wow nice catch to notice that.   While I have heard about this as a scam it is also a trick I have read about to see what kind of rental interest the ad generates.  I would call to see what's up

Michaela G. · Answer

Happens all the time. Scammers steal photos and place rental ads with them

Xing Zhu · Answer

Worse than this, I heard a story before that a guy in New York City sold a restaurant he did not own at all.

Scott VandenBerg · Answer

Sounds like a scam I have heard of where people pretend to own a rental property.  They get some poor sap to give them deposit and 1rst month (very reasonable I'm sure) and then take off.  Maybe they get 5 people to pay them because the rent is so cheap!  Maybe they figured out the lockbox code or have another way in and are even showing it.  I'd call the cops honestly.