Everyone shops for deals in today’s society. Whether it is for groceries, car repairs, vacations and booking flights, or family activities, a great deal can be found for just about anything. However, a great deal for your new home can only be found successfully through a licensed agent or group of agents like the Becky O’Neill Power Selling Team.
Unfortunately, many people are finding themselves being scammed out of their hard earned and saved “new house” funds. Many are sending forms of payment to people that promise a great deal on a new home without being fully prepared and educated on the quality of the landlord.
Criminals are scamming potential buyers by taking an agent’s for-sale property and passing it off as their own on places like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Great deals can be found there, but not always for your new dream home. When the property is picked up by potential tenants, many are then sending funds to that landlord pretending to be the owner of the home in hopes of securing their new home as a rental property at a lower rate.
If you are suspicious of any of these fraudulent activities, it is imperative that authorities are notified. Craigslist has a list of things to note when shopping to avoid scams and Facebook has a FAQ page on what to do if you believe you have been scammed on their Marketplace.
Being aware of these types of scams is important not only for you as the renter, but for the owner as well. A home is somewhere that you have invested your time, love, and energy. Being able to provide or purchase that from someone else is a gift that you want to see fulfilled. Avoid being scammed out of your investment by making sure that you are up-to-date on the potential effects of deal scammers.