This common rental scam can cost you thousands; tips to avoid it
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A rental scam that has been around for years is still tricking people across the Triangle and beyond and costing victims thousands of dollars.
What makes this scam especially convincing is that renters are often able to access the homes, leading them to believe they're dealing with a legitimate landlord or owner.
Marquita Hall said she was searching for a new place to live, hoping to shorten her daily commute.
"I was actually trying to get closer to my job. I drive 45 minutes to and from work every day," Hall said.
She found what appeared to be the perfect rental home in Fayetteville on Facebook Marketplace and began texting with someone she believed was the landlord.
When she arrived at the home, she found a lockbox on the door. She said she was instructed to text a photo of the lockbox and was then sent a code to open it. Inside was a key, giving her access to the property.
"We really liked the house, and we were able to get in. He told me right then that we could take the key and that we could move in the next day." Hall said.
Hall was then sent a lease agreement and told what she needed to pay to move in.
"He explained to us that it was going to be an application fee, $75 per adult. So, I went on, and I sent him the money for that," she said. "And then he explained to us it would be $1,000 a month and $1,000 on a security deposit."
She provided receipts showing she sent a total of $2,225.
"I took all the kids up. My whole family went, and we all saw the home and thought we were going to move in a couple of days," Hall said.
Hall said things started to feel off when the person she was dealing with could not answer basic questions about the property.
"He did not know who the lights were with, and he stated to us that he would take care of the utilities for that first month," she said.
She contacted the property management company listed in a message she received with the lockbox code and learned the person she had been communicating with was a scammer.
"I actually texted him and told him, I know you scam me, and he still, right now to the day, he still texts me and says, I will terminate the contract if you send me $500."
Experts say there are key warning signs renters should watch for:
- Always search the property address online to see if it's listed elsewhere
- Be cautious if the rent seems significantly lower than other listings
- Never send money to someone you haven't met in person
- Avoid paying through apps or cryptocurrency
In Hall's case, the same home was listed online through legitimate agencies for much more than the $1,000 per month she was offered. There was even a warning included in the message with the lockbox code: "Avoid scammers, do not send money to anyone you haven't met in person."
Despite that warning, all communication was done through text and phone.
"I just don't want anybody else to be scammed like that," Hall said.
