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What to do about a Craigslist scam...?

Duffy LaCoronilla

Duffy LaCoronilla

Duke status
Apr 27, 2016
39,145
28,715
113
We have a duplex and rent out one of the units. We once advertised on C-List and someone took our photos from the ad and made their own ad (with our address in it). The scammer gets people to pay first, last, deposit and a few have been scammed.

People have showed up ready to move in....

This scammer has been posting this ad for over a year. We contact Craigslist EVERY TIME the ad shows and they take it down. Then a week or two goes by and the ad pops up again (and we contact Craigslist again).

At one point I posed as a potential “renter” in an attempt to get any personal info and all i got was a bank in Texas to send my money to.

I have also forwarded all info I have (including names of victims) and, of course, they haven’t done anything.

Any pro tips?
 
T

the janitor

Tom Curren status
Mar 28, 2003
12,340
1,737
113
north of the bridge
here's a few suggestions:

Craigslist

Ask to talk to their BSA/AML/Fraud/Compliance department or person. They -as a corporation - are playing whack a mole with this issue across every city they have listings. So they probably try to clean up the mess after the fact by taking down the listing after you tell them about it. In order to front run the problem you will have to request what for them will be a big step, but you have to be SURE you won't want to list anything to do with your address on craigslist for the foreseeable future:

Tell them you want them to add a rule to their fraud/transaction monitoring/compliance setup to prohibit any listings that relates to your address.

This is a big ask. If they actually do this, nothing to do with you address should ever be posted to the entire Craigslist platform. You can bolster your case by citing - via records - the # of times you've asked them to pull these scammy ads.

Bank in Texas

Ask to talk to their BSA/AML/Fraud/Compliance department or person. Give them the account and routing number of the scammer and describe the fraud scam and provide records for the # of times you've had to ask for take down requests via Craigslist. Tell them you want them to add a rule to their fraud/transaction monitoring/compliance setup to prohibit any payments that relates to your address.

This is also a big ask. The scammer likely has multiple bank accounts so you'll be playing whack a mole yourself for a bit. You'll likely have to do this with a couple of banks. You might want to send an email (from a disposable email address) to the scammers telling them that you are going to each bank and getting them banned and that they should move on to greener pastures.
 
U

Uberkuque

Gerry Lopez status
Nov 19, 2014
1,104
492
83
Pose as a potential renter, get his/her name, then pass it along to the police? That’s if you’re up to play some kind of 007 role
 
U

Uberkuque

Gerry Lopez status
Nov 19, 2014
1,104
492
83
Serious question though. How is this guy signing up renters when he’s not able to show them the interior of the unit? He’s not able to, right?
 
Will there be snacks

Will there be snacks

Miki Dora status
Mar 18, 2011
4,446
2,657
113
Hotel Coral Essex
Uberkuque said:
Serious question though. How is this guy signing up renters when he’s not able to show them the interior of the unit? He’s not able to, right?
Click to expand...
Some people will rent a place just based off pictures online. No walk through. With any scam it's a numbers game. Most will sniff out the scam, but a few will not and send the check. A friend was looking for a house to rent earlier this year and she drove by the house that was suposed to be empty and ready for imediate occupancy. The house was occupied w/ kids playing in the driveway. After a little digging she found out the home was recently sold and the scammer pulled the pics and address off MLS.
 
Duffy LaCoronilla

Duffy LaCoronilla

Duke status
Apr 27, 2016
39,145
28,715
113
Uberkuque said:
Serious question though. How is this guy signing up renters when he’s not able to show them the interior of the unit? He’s not able to, right?
Click to expand...
He gets out of towners.

I live in a city with a less than 1% vacancy rate and he advertises the place for waaayyyy below market.

We’ve had people swing by to look at it.

Ad popped up again last night without our address so CL must have put a block on anything with our address.
 
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