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ByGarrett ParkerPosted onUpdated on
Craigslist is a popular site for listing homes or apartments for rent or sale. People also list items that they no longer need such as vehicles, tools, machinery as well as other items such as tickets to games, concerts and so forth. While the majority of people who post these items are genuine, there are scammers who sometimes get ahold of the original ads and post counterfeits to steal your money. We found five money scams that everyone living in the Green Bay area should be on the lookout for when using Craigslist to buy, sell or even when looking for a job or other moneymaking opportunities. Scammers are out there and here are a few examples.
1. Police warn of Craigslist rental scams in the Green Bay area
The problem with rental scams is becoming so bad in the Green Bay area through Craigslist that the local law enforcement authorities have posted a public awareness notice on their Facebook page. Multiple reports have recently been made involving scammers who take the pictures from legitimate advertisem*nts of homes that have been listed for sale. They use the information in the ad and change the contact information, and make it appear to be a rental. These thieves even go so far as to have potential renters complete a rental application, then make a deposit. Most of the time they won’t meet you in person but will ask you to wire the money or send it in the form of gift card codes or some other mode of funds transfer. They’re almost impossible to trace, so if you fall for one of these scams, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to recover any of the money that they steal from you.
2. Scam to sell Mercedes-Benz on Craigslist Green Bay
A scam artist recently hijacked pictures and information about a Mercedes-Benz that was listed for sale. The car was listed with the fake name of a woman claiming to have a need to sell the car for a ridiculously low price of $2,000, claiming that her husband had passed away. The ad said that it has a clear title and is in wonderful condition. This ad was proven to be nothing more than a scam. This case is under investigation, but Jim Temmer of the Better Business Bureau shares that more and more of these scams are surfacing throughout the nation. If a seller only communicates through email or does not have a telephone number that you can verify, the odds are that it’s a scam.
3. Arrests made in Green Bay Craigslist rental scam
A pair posted a classified ad online to list rental properties. They claimed to be property managers. Reports from victims allege that the ad offered rental units on Western Avenue and several other locations. The two scammers, a man, and a woman would actually meet with their victims face to face to collect the funds required as a deposit and rent money. According to law enforcement in the areas, no rental properties even existed in the first place.
4. I Team Scams in Wisconsin
A man recently learned that the home that he had listed for sale a year ago was being listed for rent. Scammers stole his pictures and the specifics of the home and changed the ad to read for rent instead of for sale. They also changed the price and the contact information. The scammers collect a damage deposit and rent, then when the new renters go to move in they either find that someone else is living there or they do not have a key that will open the locks.
5. Mom reports a rental scam on Craigslist
A young mother became the victim of a rental scam and lost her money. She was looking for a place to live that was reasonable in price. When she came across an ad that listed a rental home for just $700 per month, she jumped on it. The fake landlord claimed to be out of town for a couple of weeks and had her make a security deposit to hold the rental. She drove past the address is given and liked what she way. She transferred $350 via money transfer, but after she sent the money the scammer would not return any of her calls. She learned the hard way that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
You can also read:
- Five Money Scams to Watch Out for on Craigslist Lincoln
- Five Money Scams to Watch out for on Craigslist Medford
- Five Money Scams to Watch out for on Craigslist Chattanooga
- Five Money Scams to Watch out for on Craigslist Ocala
- Five Money Scams to Watch Out for on Craigslist Appleton
