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SUMMIT COUNTY — The Summit County Sheriff's Office is warning citizens about a new Internet-based fraud scheme involving real estate listed as for rent on www.craigslist.com.
The scam came to the attention of the Sheriff's Office when a woman found a Ski Hill Road residence listed for rent on Craigslist and contacted the e-mail address specified in the ad. A return e-mail stated that the owners of property were currently in West Africa, and that they could not meet the potential tenant in person. The e-mail further instructed the woman to send a check via Western Union for the amount of the security deposit, first and last month's rent. The woman was told that once the funds were received, she could move into the home.
The woman became suspicious when she walked around the property and noticed a “for sale: sign on the front yard. She contacted the real estate agent, who put her in touch with the true property owners. After hearing about the rental listing and being advised by their Realtor that this was a common scam being experienced lately, the owners brought the information to the Sheriff's Office.
A detective with the Sheriff's Office contacted the e-mail address on the Craigslist ad, and received a return e-mail with the same wiring instructions that had previously been given to the potential tenant. The e-mail also provided a phone number to contact with further questions. A computer-based search revealed that the phone number has been associated as being part of a scam out of West Africa. Several similar property rental listings on Craigslist have also apparently been associated with the same phone number.
“Unfortunately, because these scams originate from international locations, there's not much we can do,” said Summit County Sheriff's Office Detective Kris Brady. “So we're warning people to remain vigilant and to trust your instincts.” Brady also suggested visiting websites such as www.LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com to learn more about how to avoid becoming a victim in an internet fraud scheme.
If you have been a victim of this type of scam or any other cyber crime, you can report it to the FBI's IC3 website at www.IC3.gov. The IC3 complaint database links complaints for potential referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration. Complaint information is also used to identity emerging trends and patterns. The website also allows you to sign up for email notifications when new scams are posted.
— Daily News staff report
The scam came to the attention of the Sheriff's Office when a woman found a Ski Hill Road residence listed for rent on Craigslist and contacted the e-mail address specified in the ad. A return e-mail stated that the owners of property were currently in West Africa, and that they could not meet the potential tenant in person. The e-mail further instructed the woman to send a check via Western Union for the amount of the security deposit, first and last month's rent. The woman was told that once the funds were received, she could move into the home.
The woman became suspicious when she walked around the property and noticed a “for sale: sign on the front yard. She contacted the real estate agent, who put her in touch with the true property owners. After hearing about the rental listing and being advised by their Realtor that this was a common scam being experienced lately, the owners brought the information to the Sheriff's Office.
A detective with the Sheriff's Office contacted the e-mail address on the Craigslist ad, and received a return e-mail with the same wiring instructions that had previously been given to the potential tenant. The e-mail also provided a phone number to contact with further questions. A computer-based search revealed that the phone number has been associated as being part of a scam out of West Africa. Several similar property rental listings on Craigslist have also apparently been associated with the same phone number.
“Unfortunately, because these scams originate from international locations, there's not much we can do,” said Summit County Sheriff's Office Detective Kris Brady. “So we're warning people to remain vigilant and to trust your instincts.” Brady also suggested visiting websites such as www.LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com to learn more about how to avoid becoming a victim in an internet fraud scheme.
If you have been a victim of this type of scam or any other cyber crime, you can report it to the FBI's IC3 website at www.IC3.gov. The IC3 complaint database links complaints for potential referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration. Complaint information is also used to identity emerging trends and patterns. The website also allows you to sign up for email notifications when new scams are posted.
— Daily News staff report
