Hotpads SCAM!!!!!
So I used Postlets to advertise my rent house on Hotpads, etc. Now someone has hijacked my ad, is using the same pics and description but with a different phone number and email address.
One potential tenant called and told me about it, after she looked at the ad yesterday she noticed the price change this morning. She called the number and the guy was asking for her SS #, personal info etc.
Anyone have a similar experience?
This happened to one of my clients. She's been receiving phone calls about one of her rental properties even thought it's been rented. She couldn't figure out why she was still getting calls. All the ads we'd posted had been deleted/expired.
Someone who'd seen a fraudulent ad on Craigslist went by the property and spoke to the tenants. The tenants gave the person my client's phone number. My client called me and I:
- Flagged each of the 11 fraudulent ads identified
- Contacted Craigslist to report the ads as fraudulent including the post IDs for each of the ads and very detailed information.
This is the third property I've helped clients rent. During the rental process, we independently keep track of:
- The leads who contact us
- Name
- Phone number
- Email address (if provided)
- How they contacted us (Zillow, Trulia, CL, Hotpads, etc.)
- Any other details we deem pertinent.
It may be overkill, maybe it could help us prevent and/or investigate/report this kind of fraud if we need to.
It sounds like we need to step up our game the next time we list these properties. I like the idea of using watermarks on the photos.
We're not scammers and we use Google Voice. For me, it's a great tool to keep track of communication with leads efficiently and allows me to share any voice or text communication with my clients as necessary.
Forgive me for being the greedy one of the lot, but I'm not clear how this would negatively impact me as a landlord. Specifically:
- Do I need to re-post the correct ad?
- Is there a risk of invalid tenants actually moving in?
- Do I have a legal duty to review my ads to ensure that they are accurate?
- If the scammers are successful, am I liable for anything?
- Other than not posting the address and checking the ads, is there anything that I can do to protect myself?
Thanks all,
I recently posted rental ad through postlets and some one hacked my Ad and listed in Trulia with $1000 less rent. I have notified Trulia at [email protected] and they were able to take it down after couple of days. But again the hacker came back. So I have to remind trulia couple of times and finally I cannot see his account in Trulia.
Below his name and contacts for the SPAM account from trulia.
Mike
231-335-1286
Many people responded to him and below the email they got. Some one contacted me through Zillow and told me about this scam and forwarded me this email.
"RESPONSIBLE TENANT NEEDED??
coo hom <[email protected]>
Hello.Am very sorry for the late reply. Thanks so much for getting back to me regarding my home for rent. We need a responsible person/family that can take very good care of our property as we are not after the money, but want it to be clean and for you to take it as if it's yours. If you notice, you will discover that the price we are offering is far below standard price, this is enough reason for you to know that we are not after the rental fee but the absolute care for the property. My Wife and I left the State one week ago due to my job West African . So I was looking for a quick/responsible person/family to rent and take very good care of the house and treat it as his/hers,if you can promise us that you are going to take very good care of the house you have no problem with us.The house is located at ( 156XX 60th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55XX ). 3beds 1baths The rent is $800 security deposit payment to move in asap is $700,Attn : The rent are including the Utilities are intact such as Dishwasher,Dryer, Electric Stove, Fridge, Washer,Air Condition,Sewage,Trash,all included in the monthly rent,as i am in a governmental programmer that sponsors my utilities on monthly basis etc.. Security deposit is Refundable.I will like you to drive by the House today to view it from the Exterior of the building if you will like it..I will like you to get back to me asap if you really interested in my house for rent for the Application Paper work to fill out soon...Awaiting to hear from you... free to text me here (231) 335-1286. i will be happy to get back to you anytime and i also check my email often so feel free to contact me via email or text message for any further inquiries
Remain Bless
Rev & Mrs Devidson" -------------------------- So please be aware of this scam. If you try to post some Rental Ad, try to watch them while it is active.
I recently posted rental ad through postlets and some one hacked my Ad and listed in Trulia with $1000 less rent. I have notified Trulia at [email protected] and they were able to take it down after couple of days. But again the hacker came back. So I have to remind trulia couple of times and finally I cannot see his account in Trulia.
Below his name and contacts for the SPAM account from trulia.
Mike
231-335-1286
Many people responded to him and below the email they got. Some one contacted me through Zillow and told me about this scam and forwarded me this email.
--------------------------
"RESPONSIBLE TENANT NEEDED??
coo hom [email protected]
Hello.
Am very sorry for the late reply. Thanks so much for getting back to me regarding my home for rent. We need a responsible person/family that can take very good care of our property as we are not after the money, but want it to be clean and for you to take it as if it's yours. If you notice, you will discover that the price we are offering is far below standard price, this is enough reason for you to know that we are not after the rental fee but the absolute care for the property. My Wife and I left the State one week ago due to my job West African . So I was looking for a quick/responsible person/family to rent and take very good care of the house and treat it as his/hers,if you can promise us that you are going to take very good care of the house you have no problem with us.The house is located at ( 156XX 60th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55XX ). 3beds 1baths The rent is $800 security deposit payment to move in asap is $700,Attn : The rent are including the Utilities are intact such as Dishwasher,Dryer, Electric Stove, Fridge, Washer,Air Condition,Sewage,Trash,all included in the monthly rent,as i am in a governmental programmer that sponsors my utilities on monthly basis etc.. Security deposit is Refundable.I will like you to drive by the House today to view it from the Exterior of the building if you will like it..I will like you to get back to me asap if you really interested in my house for rent for the Application Paper work to fill out soon...Awaiting to hear from you... free to text me here (231) 335-1286. i will be happy to get back to you anytime and i also check my email often so feel free to contact me via email or text message for any further inquiries
Remain Bless
Rev & Mrs Devidson"
--------------------------
So please be aware of this scam. If you try to post some Rental Ad, try to watch them while it is active.
There are a bunch of issues with Zillow and Postlet.
I have claimed homes on Zillow, uploaded and edited information, and a month later, everything is gone. Contacted their support and was told yup, sometimes home information are purged or refreshed and they go to never never land. Have to keep claiming and editing it.
Another major issue is multi-family homes. Lets say your property is "123 SW 1 STREET". You claimed it. Now, you want to use Postlet to create an ad for one unit of that property. In the ad you wanted to hide the unit number that's available. So you created an ad for "123 SW 1 STREET UNIT C", but you have unit C hidden. Suddenly the address is messed up cause Zillow can't figure out why there is a 123 SW 1 STREET that's owned, but 123 SW 1 STREET UNIT C for rent, there isn't a good match and your data is purged or scrambled, and the location marker for that property goes to a nearby intersection instead of on the property. Last I checked they still haven't fixed this one out.
I used to use Postlet to place ad and syndicate as much as possible. Not anymore. Now I use Postlet to post ads only for Zillow, and disabled syndication. I then go to Trulia to create the same ad, then Hotpad, etc...Syndication is not worth it because if you look at the syndicated ads, they are only showing very limited information and pictures on the syndicated sites, but if you go to those sites and place a "new" ad, there is more "real estate" for your property on that web site.
I like the Watermark idea - (Watermark with phone # and price)
Yes, similar experience today. I should have started rentals a long time ago, this is too entertaining!
I put an ad on Craigslist a week ago, and also used Rentlinx to get the house listed for rent on other sites. It has generated good traffic so far (mostly from Zillow I think, and a couple calls from CL).
However, today I got in touch with someone who found my house posted fraudulently on Point2homes.com, with a much lower rent and amazing features like Ocean Views and on and on. He contacted the 'landlord' and got a call back with a story about send money since they're in Nicaragua and you can move in. He thought it was a little sketchy.
We are just buying the house, and the seller's agent was contacted by this guy, and then I was able to call and talk to him. We were both amused.
I emailed rentlinx and point2homes to point out the fraudulent listing. Not sure what else I can do. Actually, several good ideas in this thread: don't post picture of front of house on CL, and don't give address on CL. BUT, posting it on zillow, etc, gives all that anyway.
So I hope no one falls for it and shows up expecting to move in.....
HOTPADS IS DOPE!! They're very helpful & is not a scam. Now some ppl may go on the site and violate and try to show vacant apartments to get ppl info & what not but all yu have to do is check their id/licenses or co. etc while viewing da spot.... ion kno other ppl experiences but i came across some great brokers and some weirdos! but i made good decisions & @ll that and now i got my new apartment and i'm hype! and dis is after denying 2 others... good looks hotpads. had to show ya love online bc i really needed outta da bronx !! lmaooooo...
Just recently we were taken by someone representing themself as owner of property we were Interested in renting. They stole $120 from us for application fee. Live and learn. We are seniors facing a move after twenty years. Gmail , Zillow , fb marketplace, Chime and a whole lot more even after having proof they are robbing people under false pretense are CONTINUED to advertise, rob and all on their platform. I provided the actual owners as proof they were lying I provide the texts emails transaction and not ONE OF THE LISTED ABOVE CARED. NOT ONE TOOK DOWN THE FALSE OWNERS AD AND NOT ONE EVEN REACHED OUT TO THEM OR TRIED TO STOP THEM. THEY ARE x COLLECTING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. BLOWS MY MIND. I AM WEARY NOW OF ALL HOMES WE LOOK AT. WE ARE FIXED IMCOME AND CANT AFFORD TO PAY ALL THE APPLICATION FEES NOT KNOWING WHOM IS ON THE UP AND UP. IM SORRY IT HAPPENED TO YIU AS OWNER.
Sincerely
Michelle Eisenhauer