FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT
DATE: MARCH 15, 2017
RE: PRESS RELEASE – BEWARE THE RENTAL SCAM
The Ulster County District Attorney’s Division of Consumer Affairs is warning prospective tenants of the online rental scam, popular on Craigslist and elsewhere. Here’s how it works – the scammer lists a property which he does not own. The information, complete with photographs is accurate since he has downloaded a listing from a legitimate brokerage firm. He will try to get you to accept the property (and pay for it) without your first seeing it. He will promise to send keys or to have you pick them up from an agent after he receives your payment. Here are some tips to avoid becoming a victim.
• You can verify the owner of a property by contacting the County Clerk’s Office where the property is located. If it comes up under a different name, it’s a sign that a legitimate landlord’s ad has been hijacked.
• Do not wire money to pay a security deposit, application fee or first month’s rent. Wiring money is like sending cash.
• If you can’t see the place before signing a lease, walk away from the deal. You may not be dealing with a legitimate property owner or the place might not even exist.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Consumer Affairs can be reached at 340-3260.