Beware listings scammers
Real Estate Crime Roundup
By Inman News, Tuesday, March 9, 2010.
For sale and for rent?
Real estate agents beware: Scammers can take the listings information from your real estate Web site and peddle them as rental properties to try to bleed unsuspecting prospective tenants of their money and personal information, according to a story by a news agency in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Karen Berberick of Northwood Realty Services found out that someone had taken listing information from her site and advertised the property as for rent on Craigslist, along with a request for a deposit and for a credit application, KDKA-TV News reported.
"We were frightened for our clients, for the unsuspecting buyers and for the unsuspecting sellers who have their properties for sale with absolutely no knowledge of people pulling information from the Internet and putting it on Craigslist," Berberick said. "I think (it's) more frightening for potential tenants ... because they're passing out information. They don't know who it's going to, or what it's going to be used for."
She recommended buyers and sellers visit reputable real estate Web sites "and talk with a professional in the area." Such scams are now "prevalent" in the region, the news agency said.
Georgia agent charged with theft
Andrew Lee Loftis, 39, allegedly stole about $160,000 from Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens in Georgia where he became a partner in 2003, according to an online report by the Athens Banner-Herald.
Loftis has been charged with a felony, theft by taking, and was released on a $5,000 bond, according to the report.
Athens-Clarke police arrested Loftis on suspicion that he appropriated the money between November 2007 and August 2009. ...CONTINUED
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Submitted by Bruce Slaton on March 9, 2010 - 2:23pm.
Like I instruct my staff to do every week, REALTORS should search for their properties at least once a week on Craigslist (on the web in general) and document the information BEFORE they let on that they know about it, reply to the ad, find out who is in charge of real estate fraud locally in law enforcement so you can get them involved early on and do property checks at the beginning and end of each week.
Too much fraud but worse for those not looking out for it
Bruce
Submitted by Joellen Chappell on March 12, 2010 - 2:56pm.
This has happened to three different listings we have had in Stockton, Ca. so far we know over $6000 has been sent to the scam artist on Craigslist. One home was occupied and the onwer would find people looking in her windows and in her backyard. Scarey to say the least. We notified Craiglist(they never responded), notified out local District Attorney and posted the property with NOT FOR RENT SIGNS,but pretty sure it will happen again.
Joellen D. Chappell, Broker Associate
jchappell@c21mm.com