Craigslist scam targets Portland renters

03:26 PM PDT on Sunday, July 5, 2009

By WAYNE HAVRELLY and Kgw.com Staff

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A new scam has popped up on Craigslist, this one aimed at those who use the website to rent a new living space.

Con artists have figured out how to use the popular website to make money off vacancies.

A four-bedroom Tudor style home in Portland’s Grant Park neighborhood was recently used by con artists in the scam. A listing up on Craigslist since Friday listed the home for rent for just $950 a month/

Potential renters have been flocking to the door, homeowner Matt Goldman said.

The catch? The home isn’t for rent; it’s for sale.

The homeowner said it’s a con and photos in the ad were copied directly from a legitimate, recent real estate listing online.

“Craigslist seems to precipitate the problem and unfortunately, since it seems Craigslist is not closely monitored, these scams are allowed to proliferate,” Goldman said.

An e-mail to the rental poster revealed the classic Nigerian scam. Someone claiming to be the homeowner replied and sought a wire transfer of $950, plus personal information, explaining that he had recently “transferred out of country.”

Goldman filed a police report, contacted the state attorney general’s office, the FBI and even Craigslist itself.

Craigslist site administrators had not replied and the ad was still live online.

“Be careful what you see on Craiglist -- it may not necessarily be (what it looks like) -- do your research,” Goldman warned.

Consumer watchdogs warn never to give money for a rental home until you’ve spoken personally with the landlord about it. Landlord information is available on each county appraisal website.


you also can contact tax properties and find out who really owns the home.. i have done that before

Thank you for telling me about this

Craigslist is constantly warning about scams, putting warnings in our emails and on almost every page of it's website. They provide a valuable service to those of us that use it.

If we lose that privilege it will be because of people that don't take personal responsibility to do their homework. It might be different if we had to pay to use Criagslist, it might be right to accuse them of not watching the thousands of ads people put up, but geezuz, they can't be expected to investigate every possible post out there and keep it free to use.

It's hard to believe in this day that people, even new to the internet would not check something like this for themselves.

Ugh