Is this a scam or just weird?

General Landlording & Rental Properties
7yFollow

Is this a scam or just weird?

Joseph Weisenbloom
Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 443 posts · 174 votes

So I have a bedroom I am trying to rent out and I have been getting emails from a woman that claims to be in a remote fishing village in Alaska right now and is moving to Austin. She says they don't have phone service so she cant call me and she wont be able to sign a lease until she arrives in town. In all honesty I didn't really take it seriously because it sounded like a Nigerian prince scam. Usually I want to meet the tenant and explain them the lease before they sign. Make sure they are a real human and feel them out.

So she mentions she is going to mail a check for first months rent and deposit to secure the room. I forget all about it because it doesn't sound real. Well I get my mail today and find a check for $5600 from her which is deposit and 6 months rent. I was sort of floored because I've never had a tenant pay ahead like that but it also set off my spidey senses as well.

My question is would you accept a tenant that is renting a room sight unseen that you have never met before? Does this sound sketchy at all or just weird?

12Reply
189 views

Most Popular Reply

Caleb Heimsoth
Rental Property Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2016 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
7y

@Joseph Weisenbloom. I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt, this a SCAM. One giant SCAM.

The way it works is that check is fake. You’ll deposit it, it’ll take the bank a few days or weeks to figure out it’s fake, then the “tenant” (scammer) will tell you they need some of that money back, then if you send them any, they get your real money and eventually the bank pulls the money from that check since it’s fake.

Again, one giant SCAM.

37Reply
See this reply in the discussion

64 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Jai Reddy
    Edmond, OK · Member since 2012 · 456 posts · 270 votes
    7y

    @Joseph Weisenbloom Did you post your rental on Craigslist? Also, have you spoken to her on the phone (not text)? If yes to the first question and no to the second question, I wouldnt deposit the check yet.

    0Reply
  • Thomas S.
    Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    7y

    Do you actually need to ask ???

    Absolutely no way I would even consider renting to anyone I have not personally interview and screened. Would not even consider it. Don't waste your time send the check back immediately.

    21Reply
  • Joseph Weisenbloom
    OP
    Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 443 posts · 174 votes
    7y

    @Jai Reddy Yes it was from craigslist. She texted me but I have not talked to her on the phone she claims they don't have phone service. I wasn't taking her seriously so I didn't think she would actually mail the check. I just emailed her again tonight when I got the check and I wont cash it until I figure this out.

    2Reply
  • Meggan Kaiser
    Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 15 votes
    7y

    If she can get somewhere to send the check, she can probably get somewhere to borrow a phone. Doesn't exactly seem like an ideal roomie ... Plus, even remote villages have cell phones these days (generally speaking).

    Have you just said, "Hey, I'm worried about scammers because there are so many on CL. Do you have a FB profile or any other way that I can verify you're a real person? It'll help me get a feel for if your offer is legit. Is there any possible way you can find a way to call?"

    11Reply
  • Caleb Heimsoth
    Rental Property Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2016 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    7y

    @Joseph Weisenbloom. I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt, this a SCAM. One giant SCAM.

    The way it works is that check is fake. You’ll deposit it, it’ll take the bank a few days or weeks to figure out it’s fake, then the “tenant” (scammer) will tell you they need some of that money back, then if you send them any, they get your real money and eventually the bank pulls the money from that check since it’s fake.

    Again, one giant SCAM.

    37Reply
  • Kyle J.
    Rental Property Investor · Northern, CA · Member since 2012 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    7y

    100% scam. Don’t deposit the check because it will eventually bounce. What will probably happen is, after you deposit it and it appears to have cleared, she’ll say she changed her mind and ask you to refund her. Though she’ll offer to let you keep a small amount ($500-$1000) for your trouble. That’ll sound pretty good until at some point it bounces and you’re out whatever amount you refunded her. 

    It’s a scam. Just ignore her. 

    (By the way, never accept personal checks from anyone for the initial first month’s rent and deposit.)

    13Reply
  • Brandi Croom
    Real Estate Broker · Alaska and Oregon · Member since 2018 · 44 posts · 35 votes
    7y

    I’m from Alaska and they have phone service in the villages and this sounds like a scam!

    13Reply
  • Sam Shueh
    Real Estate Agent · Cupertino, CA · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    Delete. There are different versions of CL scams. You can not tell from these canned letters?

    1Reply
  • Steve K.
    Realtor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    7y

    This is one of the most classic CL scams, right up there with the cloned listing, the illegal sublet, and the fake database. She'll email you soon saying something along the lines of she has to move to Tacoma instead of Texas now because her Aunt Alice is sick and she has to take care of her. But you can cash the check and keep $200 for your troubles, just please wire the rest of the money right away as she's having a financial emergency and trying to get to Tacoma to see her very sick Aunt Alice immediately!

    Craigslist is pretty worthless these days, it's outdated technology and should only be used for local, face to face, cash transactions (preferably in a police station parking lot).  

    8Reply
  • Craig Jeppesen
    Rental Property Investor · Chubbuck, ID · Member since 2018 · 532 posts · 466 votes
    7y

    Yes this is obviously a scam. There are a lot of red flags here. No real potential tenant would send you a check in the mail before you have a signed lease. The check is fake and they will soon be asking you to send some of it back to them. Idiots deposit these checks, send money back then are horrified when their bank takes their account negative as the check bounces and now they owe money to the bank. Always use common sense, for some reason it is not so common these days.

    1Reply
  • Joseph Weisenbloom
    OP
    Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 443 posts · 174 votes
    7y

    Alright guys thanks for the insight. Yea it felt like a scam from the beginning which is why I didn't think they would mail anything. I will ignore her.

    3Reply
  • Account Closed
    Specialist · Paradise Valley, AZ · Member since 2018 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Joseph Weisenbloom:

    So I have a bedroom I am trying to rent out and I have been getting emails from a woman that claims to be in a remote fishing village in Alaska right now and is moving to Austin. She says they don't have phone service so she cant call me and she wont be able to sign a lease until she arrives in town. In all honesty I didn't really take it seriously because it sounded like a Nigerian prince scam. Usually I want to meet the tenant and explain them the lease before they sign. Make sure they are a real human and feel them out.

    So she mentions she is going to mail a check for first months rent and deposit to secure the room. I forget all about it because it doesn't sound real. Well I get my mail today and find a check for $5600 from her which is deposit and 6 months rent. I was sort of floored because I've never had a tenant pay ahead like that but it also set off my spidey senses as well.

    My question is would you accept a tenant that is renting a room sight unseen that you have never met before? Does this sound sketchy at all or just weird?

     Ask what they are fishing for this time of year. 

    "Alaskan king crab fishing occurs during the fall and winter months. The peak season of crab fishing usually is between October and January, it lasts only for several weeks."

    Commercial fishing for king salmon in the Northern District of Upper Cook Inlet will also be closed for the 2019 season (May 27, and June 3, 10, 17, and 24).

    If she says crab, then maybe she's legit, If she says salmon, it's the wrong season, if she says "suckers' you know where she's coming from.

    My best buddy in high school worked on a boat in Alaska and could only call home when they were in dock. I bought a couple of houses in Seattle from fishermen who worked the Alaska waters and I couldn't reach them for two or three months a time.

    You can send a PDF lease agreement by email and she can print it off, sign it and email it back, or she could snap a photo of her driver's license and download it to her computer and email it to you for verification. You could ask her which airline she takes from Nome or Anchorage or wherever and verify.  You can call her bank and see if funds are available.

    I guess I'm showing my age. This seems pretty basic.

    Anyway, If she is serious and legit, there are ways to see.

    3Reply
  • Greg BishopPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Issaquah, WA · Member since 2017 · 37 posts · 24 votes
    7y

    @Joseph Weisenbloom I'm curious about how she sent a check to your address. Sounds like you may have given her your address?

    One thing we have to keep in mind of in Seattle is that there are new local laws requiring landlords to accept the first qualifying applicant. We don't get to choose among a pool of applicants any longer and it's first come first serve. If this were to happen here and we cashed such a check, we may also be subject to litigation by accepting such an "applicant". It may also set us up for future jeopardy because we would have lowered our standard for the qualification of a tenant by simply accepting a check.

    I actually had the same scam happen to me about 10 years ago. I ended up ignoring the person after asking a few more questions about their interest and the answers I got didn't add up. I think they caught on that I wasn't buying it. There was a lot of good advice in this thread to avoid this person, in my opinion. Always be consistent and strong with your standards for qualification of an applicant. It's the first line of defense in more ways than one.

    Best wishes with your rental. There are good tenants out there. Be patient.

    1Reply
  • Matt K.
    Walnut Creek, CA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    7y

    So let me get straight.....

    A person can email and text you, but can't call you because no cell service. Out of curiosity how are they able to email or text? Oh over the internet....if only there was a thing where we could have voice over...oh yeah we do it's called VoIP.

    But let's just let that slide and move on...

    Are you just rolling in the dough that you'd tell someone you've never even talked to and thousands miles away you'd just send a check for something like triple they asked for? Oh hey meant to send you 2k but here is nearly 6k... It's cool I trust you.

    No one in their right mind would do that and if it was by mistake they'd cancel the check and resend it. But this is why the scam works...they prey on greedy people. They look for someone willing to overlook some serious logical flaws in hopes of some easy money.

    Weird things happen, but seriously apply some common sense. 

    Same goes to all the people getting loan offers from "private" money unsolicited and below prime interest rates with no experience... 

    3Reply
  • Kevin M.
    Specialist · Missoula, MT · Member since 2016 · 73 posts · 44 votes
    7y

    @Joseph Weisenbloom why don't you take her application over the messages? name/ phone / address / ss# etc.. and run a background check? At least you'll have something to give to authorities to look into... and don't cash the check until she shows up at your door to sign the lease. The interest on that money, $5,600, is what until she shows up? $5.60, and the background check is what, $30? How many tenants are looking for that room? Can you hold it until the date she asks? If the background check is all FUBAR and doesn't sound right then don't hold the room at all. If the background check is screwy you can hand her information over to authorities and you now have an address to send your letter for a $30 reimbursement or threaten her with mail fraud and hand all her info to the United States Postal Inspector and Alaska State Police. If she even is from Alaska? Remember the US Postal Inspector has as much and maybe more authority than the FBI. However this all has to do with time management.

    A good rule of thumb is if you have to ask you already know the answer.

    2Reply
  • Matthew McNeil
    Rental Property Investor · Boise/Portland · Member since 2017 · 709 posts · 742 votes
    7y

    I am sure I've read this before - almost the exact same details.  

    1Reply
  • Tony Mai
    Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2016 · 137 posts · 80 votes
    7y

    @Joseph Weisenbloom scam

    1Reply
  • Michael J.
    Rental Property Investor · Louisville, KY · Member since 2008 · 342 posts · 123 votes
    7y

    Like others said sounds like a scam.

    This is one reason why I only accept cash equivalent like a money order or local bank cashiers check and the. I cash it at that bank. No actual cash is accepted. Definitely no personal checks.

    I don’t accept personal checks for rent or fees either.

    2Reply
  • Account Closed
    Investor · Surprise, AZ · Member since 2018 · 156 posts · 110 votes
    7y

    There's a saying something like: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". Definitely sounds like a scam to me. I'm with @Kyle J., you'll find yourself out $5,600 when the bank comes back to collect from you on a bad check!

    1Reply
  • Dennis M.
    Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    7y

    Tell her thank you and that you cashed her check but unfortunately you blew it all because you have a 5,000$ a day heroin habit and couldn’t help yourself .

    8Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Dennis M.:

    Tell her thank you and that you cashed her check but unfortunately you blew it all because you have a 5,000$ a day heroin habit and couldn’t help yourself .

    too funny that was my thought just cash it and ghost them.. that will teach them to send landlords money in the mail

    I suspect those check cashing joints would know if its good that instant or not.  

    Podcast Guest on Show #222
    JLH Capital Partners51 Review
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Jason D.
    Rental Property Investor · St. Petersburg, FL · Member since 2017 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    7y

    Isn't the obvious that if you can text, you can call??? You can call over wifi or cell...

    It's a scam.

    1Reply
  • Scott Lewis
    Bentonville, AR · Member since 2016 · 20 posts · 6 votes
    7y

    @Joseph Weisenbloom you could play along for a while and get the scammer excited. Tell “her” the check is deposited and look forward to her moving in. After a day or 2 she’ll urgently need you to send some of the money back. Tell her the check is in the mail and drag her along for a few weeks.

    1Reply
  • Joseph Weisenbloom
    OP
    Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 443 posts · 174 votes
    7y

    @Scott Lewis Haha I was considering this. Atelast waste their time if nothing else. Thats why I responded to their email in the first place becuase it sounded like such an outlandish story.

    0Reply
  • Rafael Garcia
    Newark, NJ · Member since 2019 · 15 posts · 4 votes
    7y

    @Joseph Weisenbloom DO NOT CASH THAT CHECK, like many others have said it’s a scam, you should also report it to authorities to prevent that person(s) from scamming anyone else.

    0Reply
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.
Log InJoin for Free