You don’t have to search far or long to hear about scams on Craigslist (see here or here for just two unfortunate headlines).
Don’t get me wrong, Craigslist is a great resource and has practically revolutionized an outdated classifieds system. That said, it’s important to be cautious and smart when making any deal.
The old adage buyer beware holds true.
If a deal sounds too good to be true, it typically is.
Most of the rental scams on Craigslist come in the guise of an out of town landlord asking for a large deposit or money upfront in exchange for a rental. There are also cases of landlords asking for deposits from multiple prospective tenants only to back out on all the tenants (and taking their application fee/deposit with them).
In a recent article where a Minnesota family experienced just local police warned consumers about the following red flags:
- Long-distance inquiries
- Suggestions to mail a check or money order or wire funds through Western Union, MoneyGram or Green Dot
- Requests for personal and/or financial information such as a bank account or Social Security number
- Typos, grammatical errors and improper wording or context during discussion
There are certainly good deals to be had on Craigslist and many honest users but renters should know reasonable rental rates in the area and be wary of demands for a large cash payment upfront.
If you don’t know Denver rental rates or neighborhoods and need help finding an apartment contact Vita Locators.