Imagine realizing that your ideal property was a scam after you wired the money. Nancy Kimmes, a real estate agent in California, was the victim of a $10,000 rental swindle, and she experienced just that.
Nancy was determined to go to Crystal Sands, a resort she had visited and loved near Sarasota, Florida. Consequently, she didn’t hesitate when she saw a condo for rent in the same building on well-known websites like Redfin, Zillow, and Trulia. Conversations with the “owner,” applications, and even a background check all appeared to be authentic.
The Warning Sign That Made All the Difference
After Nancy sent $10,000 to reserve the property, a straightforward follow-up inquiry regarding parking caused everything to fall apart.
“I asked the fraudster, ‘What parking space will I get?'” Nancy remembered. “He gave me two parking spaces. That’s when I knew something wasn’t right because I’d stayed there before—you only get one parking space.”
Nancy promptly phoned the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and her bank to halt the payment after realizing she had been tricked. Even though the scammer’s account was stopped, recovering her money proved to be a six-month ordeal filled with intricate procedures and legal obstacles.
Thankfully, Nancy was able to get her money back.
Nancy is now sharing her experience to alert people to the growing sophistication of rental scams. “A rental agreement may not be legitimate even if it looks that way,” she stated.
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Same Story, Different Scam
Scammers are defrauding consumers in ways other than rental fraud. When Dale Frye of California attempted to buy a classic 1934 Ford Cabriolet online, he was defrauded of $25,000.
The seller included links to a polished website and convincing images and videos of the vehicle. Dale waited and sent the money, but the automobile never arrived.
Dale decided to take matters into his own hands and went to Connecticut to look into the seller’s “business.” All he discovered was a vacant storage facility.
“It was heartbreaking,” Dale stated. “It looked so real.”
