A COUPLE visited a home they were told was for rent, only for a sticker to stop them in their tracks.
After being told it was an open house, the couple tried to open the door, and when they couldn’t, they realized what had happened.
A couple visited a home they were told was for rent, only for a sticker to stop them in their tracks[/caption]
After being told it was an open house, the couple tried to open the door, and when they couldn’t, they realized what had happened[/caption]
On the social media platform Reddit, a shocking story revealed that a couple was nearly scammed by a supposed real estate agent.
The couple were sent to what they were told was an open house, and told to walk in.
But a sticker on the door said, “This home is not for rent – report the scam.”
It turned out that the agent was counting on the door being unlocked.
This was so they could take the money from them without actually sending them to an open house and they would think nothing was wrong.
The post said: “I should have known but relied on my fiancée to do the vetting.
“The house was priced lower than usual but not absurdly so, just enough to raise subtle suspicion.
“The texts were exceptionally brief and came from an out-of-state area code – another red flag.
“Curious, we Googled the address and discovered the property was actually for sale on Zillow, not for rent.
“Yikes! By then, we realized they would have probably asked for some odd form of payment, like gift cards, with promises of a “better deal.”
“Fortunately, we only lost about 30 minutes of our time, but it was a wake-up call.
“Always verify listings independently, and if something feels off, trust those instincts.
“I hope this story helps someone avoid a similar situation!”
COMMENT SHOCK
In the comments of the post, people shared similar stories of this happening to them.
Tips on spotting property scams
These five tips on avoiding real estate scams have been shared by The Bellamy Law Firm.
Fake Owners:
- This is where properties are listed for sale by scammers who do not own them.
- They may ask for a deposit to “hold” the property until you can view it to lure in prospective buyers.
- Be wary of people who ask for money upfront and before signing any documents ensure you ask to see the tax records and deeds.
Fake Real Estate Professionals:
- Scammers pretending to be real estate agents.
- Prospective buyers can check the Board of Realtors website for the individual and their real estate license to confirm their story.
Cash Offers:
- Warning phrases for this are: “We pay cash for homes” and “We buy ugly houses.”
- This often sees people sell their homes for much less than the going market value and those who are hard-up are often victims.
Predatory Lending:
- Some mortgage lenders may urge borrowers to repeatedly refinance their mortgages when it is not needed so they can get more cash on hand.
- It is also important to be suspicious of lenders who come to you before you have requested help.
Bait-and-Switch Moving Companies:
- This is where the moving company gives you an estimate for your belongings and then increases the cost when they arrive which pressurizes customers to accept the new offer.
- Another version of this is when movers pick up your belongings but hold them hostage and refuse to deliver them until more money has been paid.
- People moving homes should ask for a license number from the moving company and check for complaints with official companies like the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- It is also worth shopping around by getting multiple quotes and holding off on paying until the move has been completed.
Source: The Bellamy Law Firm
One person wrote: “Originally I saw the house for rent on one of the typical rent sites and we asked if we could tour it.
“The person said “sure but I had an emergency and I’m out of town for 2 weeks but you can drive by and look at it” and gave us the address.
“Hmmm, okay? We expected it to be an empty house and were gonna peek in the window to see how big it actually was so we went up to the door and knocked and someone answered the door.”
Someone else chimed in: “In the mid 70’s an acquaintance of mine rented an apartment.
“Met the landlord at the apartment, viewed it, signed the lease, paid first month and security, gets the keys.
“A week later shows up with his rental truck full of his stuff to move in.. and four or five other people showed up to move in.”
And a third story went: “My parents almost got got in the 80s. But the “landlords” behavior was suspicious enough my dad went to the courthouse to look up the records and call the actual owner who confirmed it was tenants running a scam.
“At least its way easier to investigate such things these days!”
In the comments of the post, people shared similar stories of this happening to them[/caption]
