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Apartment Rental Scam

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Apartment Rental Scam Reports & Reviews (65)

- Ithaca, NY, USA
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Contacted me from an nyc student housing page on Facebook about a potential listing, the listing interested me so I inquired further. Did not reveal some important details about the property including its specific address and wouldn’t let me see it in person. Told me I had to sign a lease within 48 hours of submitting an application and pay the deposit and first months rent equating to 2300. Upon further research, the brokers and their company associated with the attempted sale are not registered with the state and the apartment is not listed anywhere.

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- New York, NY, USA
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Report Description: Beware of Rental Scam

Scammer Details:

Name: Keith McCool & Kathryn McCool

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (850) 242-0023

Description:

A fraudulent rental scheme has been identified involving a property located at 70 Clark St #3F, Brooklyn, NY 11201. The scammer, operating under the guise of Keith McCool, has been emailing potential renters. The email falsely claims that the property is available for rent due to the alleged relocation of the McCool family to Florida.

Key Points of the Scam:

Absence of Property Inspection: The scammer states that they are unable to show the property in person due to their relocation. Prospective tenants are only allowed to inspect the exterior of the property.

Request for Deposits: A security deposit of $1,900 and the first month's rent of $1,900 are requested upfront. Additionally, a $100 deposit per pet is required.

Use of Photos and Application Form: The scammer attaches photos of the property's interior and a rental application form to provide the illusion of legitimacy and the application form asks people to write their personal information including their social number.

No Property Management Involvement: The scammer claims to have opted against using property management agencies, citing high costs and difficulties, and instead chooses to rent the property themselves.

I felt like there were too many suspicious things so I googled the phone number and I could find another victim of this scam. The story is literally the same as what I got and the scammer only changed their name and the unit.

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+7
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Thanks as we got the exact same scam story for a property in Boulder, Peloton apts, unit 205.
Mr Steven McDonald and his wife Jeanne McDonald relocated to Florida and can't show the property due to their relocation. They requested 1400$ for the rent and attached the same pics as shown on the rental website I found the ad on. This property pops up on every rental websites I was looking at; Zillow, Trulia, Bumper, etc. Thanks for adding your story! I'll add the contact details I got from him right now.

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Thank you for posting! Same exact story coming from this email address being used to scam potential renters on an apartment in Chicago.

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- Jackson Heights, NY, USA
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I was looking for an apartment in craiglist, when I came accross the listing. I reached out via the means provided and the person names Samuel reached out via text message and asked me to fill out an application at the following link: http://scores468.housingrents.us/

I noticed that the link seemed different from the known credit score companies so I did additional research and realized that this is a scam. the person sent me the following email:

Hello!

Here is the application link - http://scores468.housingrents.us/

It's just a soft check for your background, including a credit check.

You will get an application form for a background check after completing your credit check.

It will charge you only $29.95 for the verification, which is also totally refundable. You can cancel the subscription anytime you want after getting the report.

Complete the procedure now.

After the procedure is complete, please let me know.

Best Regards

Samuel

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+1
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- College Point, NY, USA
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She’s scamming people telling they will help them apply for apartments.

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- Hialeah, FL, USA
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The scammer is posing as a Realtor asking for a filing fee which will be refundable if the property is not to your liking. He then he asks for more money to show the property. For example a key fee, to show the inside of the house. An appointment is made, but the realtor never shows up. When you ask for a refund, the agent says a refund is not able to be given.

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+1
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- Hyattsville, MD, USA
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I was seeking a low income apartment. I cant recall if I found them on Craigslist or Google. I was told to enter My social security and debit card numbers for a $1 payment inorder to retrieve My credit report, while the 1st male representative stayed on the phone. I was then transferred to another...now female, who did the same thing. Hence My account information being entered twice. For the past 4 days this scam having been trying ot deduct $39.95 @ a time. They need to be found and brought to justice. Its already harder after covid...untop of all this price raise in the economic and not on the employees side of the tracks. Its hard to work only to get scammed by these low lives, lazy, none productive citizens.

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- Washington, DC, USA
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same as written above, was a fake craiglist ad for an apartment

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- Albuquerque, NM, USA
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I am a traveling nurse and was looking for housing in Palo Alto California. I was messaged by Sheena Harkness about a potential rental at 200 Sheridan Ave Palo Alto California 94306. I sent in a rental application with my DOB, previous employer, home address and driver license number. They did ask for my SSN but I did not provided that information. Today 1/25/24 I received an email from [email protected] about being approved for the rental and that I needed to send 3,300 dollars for Down deposit first month rent and application fee. The options of payment they gave me was direct deposit Apple Pay Zelle google pay cash app or a wire transfer. I asked Sheena Harkness to FaceTime or phone call me to verify who she was but she said that was impossible and I could visit https://novahomerentals.com for verification. This website does not have her realtor license number. So when I asked Sheena Harkness for her license number, she told me to refer to the website and I should look elsewhere for housing.

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- Slidell, LA, USA
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The Representative Sheena Harkness on facebook is targeting a Travel Nurse Housing page called Travel Nurse Housing-Gypsy Nurse Group. They contacted me based on a post that I added looking for an apartment in Springfield,IL. I was sent a business email with a business and website attached to rent the apartment. I was sent an application, a lease and payment confirmation after I paid. After payment I contacted them to prepare to move in the apartment and I was asked for additional money for electricity that was said to be included on the lease. Once I noticed this I declined the offer and asked for a refund which I was assured I would get but have not received. I asked to call and talk to management and never received a number to call.

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+2
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- Remsen, NY, USA
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Rental scam originally posted on craigslist, looked legitimate with connections to "united realty group" which appears to be a legitimate company as well as displaying a valid real estate brokers license number. After multiple emails and some due diligence I was sent an invoice and sent $1300 to a Zelle address: "Beneficiary Zelle Id: [email protected]" another Zelle address that was provided: "Beneficiary Zelle Id: +1 (646) 359-3141" and the paypal address provided: Paypal Email: lizrodriguez1995@ yahoo.com. I was looking to rent an apartment in south beach Miami, I reached out to the email provided on Craigslist and I was guided to their site to fill out a lease application I was eventually approved and sent the invoice.

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- Springfield Gardens, NY, USA
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Real estate broker reached out to me in regard to apartments, I’ve been searching . Claimed to help me and fill out $175 application fee,. Sent to his email address Zelle payment . Stated it’s refundable , I sent the money , and later noticed suspicious activity, so I emailed and messaged for a refund , and now the page is gone. Via Instagram page

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- Scranton, PA, USA
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The scam started out via an online Craigslist advertisement for a rentable house. The ad instructed me to call a number, and the person had an Indian accent. They asked me for my annual income, social security number, and asked for a screenshot of my credit report through CreditIQ using a link. Then they had me call another number (person also had Indian accent) and did the same thing except through sites Kikoff and PFMVerify. When calling back they hung up. I unfortunately fell victim to these [censored], and I have froze my credit and filed multiple reports.

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+2
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- Brooklyn, NY, USA
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The scammer claims they are renting out luxury apartment units for 800.00. No income No credit verification is required. They do not answer phones but want you to submit application with 450 fee.

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- Bronx, NY, USA
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I was seeking help to find an apartment they took copies of my social security card my NY state ID which was suppose to be used for credit check purposes but i was never contacted back after I rendered my personal information

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- Bronx, NY, USA
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Looking for apartment assistance instead he asked for my housing voucher information once i sent him the information all communication stopped

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+4
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- Brooklyn, NY, USA
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On September 2nd, Jorge Vega (supposedly a broker working in Luxe Rental Sales NYC), showed my the apt #3A on 1649 Summersfield, Ridgewood, Queens. He said I should pay a "good faith deposit" for $1267 in order to reserve the room I wanted, and I did so throgh Zelle. I was supposed to get the apartment on Sep 15, but never got it and started to get less and less responses. I asked for my money back, and they said it would take 12 business days to get it back, however, they have kept making excuses and they rarely pick up the phone or respond to my messages until today October 23. I haven't got any money back, but also they claim that they are keeping $100 or $67 (not sure) for a processing fee, even though they didn't even review my application nor run a background credit check.

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- Philadelphia, PA, USA
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I was looking for a comfortable n affordable place to stay ...with winter arriving soon...i really jus wanted somewhere to call home for a few years or more...well..i found this place n i wasn't ready yet...i kept praying when i was ..it would still be available....it was...n..i was like this must be meant ...emailed the company...n...they reached out to me..by phone....he(Phillip)initially told me he was busy...he'll get back with me...i was really ready to move...first time trying to live on my own.....starting from nothing...he claimed to do a background check...i passed n then he said ..could i send him the money to hold the apt...600...he said hell be right back i never heard or seen him again ...i called he jus kept hanging up blocking myself m everybody i could get to help me contact him....im praying i get help

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- Scranton, PA, USA
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I inquired about an apartment on Facebook marketplace in Scranton, PA. The person I messaged gave me a number to text for more information. I texted this number and spoke to a man named "James" who said he had to call me to go over some questions before I fill out an application and see the apartment. He called me and asked me normal rental questions but made me screenshot and text him a picture of my credit score, then emailed me a rental application to fill out (the link to fill it out looked sketchy in itself) and told him I had to Venmo him money for the application fee. I told him I wasn't sending him any money personally and if it was legit there would be a spot on the actual application form to pay.

Other things that were sketchy that I noticed after the fact -

This man has a Texas phone number but James Alexander Real Estate Management is in Lancaster, PA

I realized after that the street view of the address did not match the address/house/description in the listing.

I found the same listing on Zillow with different details (different rental price, different rental rules) posted by a completely different management company that actually does have a Scranton phone number.

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- Woodhaven, NY, USA
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I gave a deposit of $1650 on September 10th and 11th for a rental apartment with move in date of September 15th, for an entire week I was given the run around saying the apartment was getting work done. To then find out that on September 16th, a man who I confronted was going into the building that I had gave a down a payment for was already living in the apartment since the beginning of September. I confronted the property manager and was told sorry they made a mistake. I kindly ask for my deposit back since they couldn’t deliver their part of the deal and I’ve been getting the run around ever since. I still have not receive my deposit and I currently reported the situation to my bank as well. Money was wired through my TD Zelle and I have yet to have my money refunded .

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- Bronx, NY, USA
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Scammer pretended to be a broker for an Apartment I had been viewing. We viewed the apartment and signed a lease and I gave my dues. When it was time to move in I was not given access to the apartment due to an issue regarding the lock on the door to the apartment. I then asked for the rest of the keys and was told that she did not have the keys. I then asked for the money returned and she said that she would refund me back, however she then tried, without my permission, to look for other apartments for me to replace the fact that she owed me the $1000. When I said no and that the place was too far a commute and asked her to give me the money back she then said that she would look for another place. I then gave her a choice to either pay me back in full, pay me in increments or that I would be taking this to the police. She continued to state that she owed me nothing and has been difficult to reach afterwards.

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