CARROLLTON — A new rental scheme online is surfacing in North Texas, and one woman nearly lost money as a result.
Andreas House wants to move out of her apartment in Carrollton, so she so went house-hunting on craigslist, a Web-based classified ad service. She found a single family three-bedroom rental home in Lewisville for $700 a month, but after researching the address, she spotted a problem.
The same home was also listed with a real estate agency.
"The information was different," House said. "The price was different, but the pictures are the same."
She wrote the person behind the craigslist ad to inquire about the home; she received a suspicious e-mail from the alleged owner, who was out of the country.
"He was in Africa doing some mission, and that I send him money for keys," said House.
The "owner" wanted a large deposit before handing over the keys. House got in contact with the real estate company that had listed the property and found out the craigslist ad was part of a rental scheme.
According to real estate agent Connie Zetterlund of Coldwell Banker, crooks are stealing legitimate real estate listings — including the pictures — and making them their own online.
Zetterlund said criminals prefer to use "real" listings of vacant homes, because it makes it easier to reel in potential victims. The goal is not to rent the listing, but to make off with the rental deposits.
"If everything is there — including the refrigerator, washer, dryer, all of that — people are going to rent it," Zetterlund said.
Her advice: stick with the professionals and verify all ads.
"Seven-hundred dollars nowadays doesn't get you much, but for a thief, $700 is a lot of money — easy money," Zetterlund warned.
Andreas House is glad she didn't take the bait, but she came pretty close.
"I would have shown up with a U-haul and keys, kids in tow — and no house," she said.
House plans to file a complaint about the phony ads with craigslist and the Carrollton Police Department.
E-mail mdiaz@wfaa.com
