All Forum Posts by: Jason Allen

Quote from @Nathan Gesner:

Quote from @Sam Faas:

I've heard bad things about the zillow option. Consider using TransUnion SmartMove.

Ditto to. The zillow should be considered a pre-screen at best. Collect IDs and run your own checks before signing anything. Unless the scammer is good, they will F up some step; make sure you notice when they do. 

Quote from @Account Closed:

@Julie Hartman Yes, the person did provided the Drivers License, but no SSN, can we ask the tenant SSN to run the checks ?

I also called the tenant and notified the employer details that they provided are not valid and requested for a valid desk number OR HR details that I can call in.

Also, called couple of attorney offices to schedule a call to review and take a legal advise.Thanks for your insights.

Good thinking; if everything is above board and not a scam, they provide a real number (that you verify independently, like on the company website or just check the company website for the number) and you call and confirm everything, then you know it’s not a scam. If they make up excuses or threaten to sue, or say that their company doesn’t verify info(every company will very if the employee gives permission… )you know it was likely a scam. In the unlikely event that the person doesn’t cooperate, but it wasn’t actually a scam, you still saved yourself renting to a difficult tenant who would have been a headache. 

Avoid Cleveland, at least Cleveland proper; the city is a nightmare to deal with, the applicant base is terrible and the housing court will drag your evictions out longer than literally any place in the entire state of Ohio, and find any reason to delay your case (date in the "wrong" place... there's no actual rule about that, but ask me how I know). Columbus is good, and most suburbs in CLE are good. Suffice to say, Cleveland is cheap for a reason...

Make sure at least they have the deposit paid before you give them the keys. If they don't or try to put one over on you again ("we're having money trouble, please let us pay the deposit over a few months..." ), that gives you an out ( unless your rental contract is complete garbage) and you hopefully can avoid giving them the keys and having to evict them shortly after. The ID's matching is meaningless (unless you have access to the DMV database to actually check). I knew at least a dozen people who had fake IDs in college. Very cheap, quick and easy to get. 

Also, did you call and verify the employer (using the a number from the employer's website, not some number given to you by the applicant)? Paystubs are really easily faked or altered.. .there are literally dozens of websites that will generate fake paystubs (not listing any in case there are P.O.S. reading..), and income? 

If they gave you fake info, they are scammers, and you got scammed. They may still pay the rent on time; just be ready to evict quickly when they don't, which is very likely. I sincerely hope that the rental is in a place where an eviction doesn't take years, like California. Honestly, a really high credit score for an applicant (without a very good, verifiable explanation) is a big red flag for identity theft (i.e. they stole someone's identity) . If their credit is so good, why aren't they looking to purchase?

Quote from @James Wise:

Quote from @Jason Allen:

I am at a loss here. Maybe someone can help me out. So I have a couple who recently moved in Under fake names. Well not completely fake the female half Used her mother's name and had her mother's background check to avoid her multiple eviction showing up. So they have a signed lease With a forged  signature and the wrong name. Anyhow either the mother is a victim of identity theft or more likely she's a willing participant in the fraud. For better or worse they are 2 weeks late on the rent and we're probably gonna be filing eviction. Probably under the real and fraudulent names. Funny story the way We were able to find out is that we got an anonymous tip. But then it was confirmed because another scammer had posted the listing for the house a very very low price. And so some poor lady had driven over there to see the place And talk to them to try to find out about the rental which wasn't available (or wasn't available yet it'll probably be available as soon as the eviction goes through...) Anyhow the The poor lady looking for the apartment spoke to the Female Who I had known as ruth But when she spoke with this poor lady she used her real name which is Samantha. Which matched the anonymous tip so... I am rapidly losing faith in humanity... Anyhow has anyone ever had to deal with this? does it even make sense to go to the police? Sorry for the  sob story but any advise or help could be appreciated

 Evict them for not paying rent and move on.

already filed; I am still going to the police for the multiple felonies related to the identity theft and fraud, but yes... there is never any benefit in not filing eviction as soon as possible...

Quote from @Chris Seveney:

@Jason Allen

Just another reason to use a property manager

We always require an ID verification with any application and run a background check on them. Now get an attorney or someone experienced to handle this for you

 They had fake IDs, which obviously matched the identity that they stole... also submitted the stolen identity to Zillow, which did the screening. I mean, they literally committed 4 or 5 separate felonies.... I already started the eviction, and I am going to go to the police, but I don't expect much because apparently it's OK to commit fraud in the city of Cleveland, as long as it's against greedy landlords...

I am at a loss here. Maybe someone can help me out. So I have a couple who recently moved in Under fake names. Well not completely fake the female half Used her mother's name and had her mother's background check to avoid her multiple eviction showing up. So they have a signed lease With a forged  signature and the wrong name. Anyhow either the mother is a victim of identity theft or more likely she's a willing participant in the fraud. For better or worse they are 2 weeks late on the rent and we're probably gonna be filing eviction. Probably under the real and fraudulent names. Funny story the way We were able to find out is that we got an anonymous tip. But then it was confirmed because another scammer had posted the listing for the house a very very low price. And so some poor lady had driven over there to see the place And talk to them to try to find out about the rental which wasn't available (or wasn't available yet it'll probably be available as soon as the eviction goes through...) Anyhow the The poor lady looking for the apartment spoke to the Female Who I had known as ruth But when she spoke with this poor lady she used her real name which is Samantha. Which matched the anonymous tip so... I am rapidly losing faith in humanity... Anyhow has anyone ever had to deal with this? does it even make sense to go to the police? Sorry for the  sob story but any advise or help could be appreciated

I'm curious to know what happened. I'm dealing with a nearly essentially the same situation. So I've got a brand new tenant or a couple actually , They checked out fine. However Just last week we got anonymous tip that the female half of the couple Wasn't actually who she said she was And that she had used her Mothers ID And had her mother's information on the contract and the background check. To avoid her multiple evictions showing up. She also signed the contract using her mother's name. They're coming up on 2 weeks late on the rent I'm probably gonna have to evict them. Anyhow the way I was able to basically confirm that They're doing identity theft. So a scammer listed The the house as available and some poor lady Saw the listing Went to the house talk to the couple. And the couple gave this lady my number so she called me and asked me about the the rental. It was obviously listed way low so which is why she went over there so quickly to check it out. Anyhow the lady When I called her back and ask her about the whole thing she said that the lady at the door was Samantha Which was the female fraudsters actual name, which matched all the evictions and was the same as the anonymous tip. The name that she had run through the background check and had signed on the contract Was ruth Which is her mom's name. Anyways because she use her real name when talking to this poor lady who was being scammed by someone who posted a fake listing of the apartment I was able to confirm that in fact She was Samantha and not ruth and his committing fraud and identity theft. I suppose I will notify the police but I don't expect tHem to do anything about it. Apparently fraud is okay as long as you're  defrauding landlords. 

Quote from @Account Closed:

She has zero rights as a squatter. I will look for an attorney.

 unfortunately totally wrong, especially in the city of Cleveland.. squatters have more rights than homeowners

Thanks for the reply. I'll have to sit in an eviction hearing or 2 in Lorain County to see how they go. I remember in one of my cases, the magistrate rejected/delayed every single first appearance eviction that was there, regardless of whether the defendants showed up or not. Like 35+ cases, almost all delayed for several weeks for no real reason at all. And any time defendants showed up, they got an automatic 2 week continuance... Other magistrates are better, but it's completely the luck of the draw whether you're out another 2 grand while they destroy your house...