Scams abound in our modern age

Report of rental scams locally are on the rise, and scammers are posting fake rental ads online, especially on platforms like Facebook, using stolen photos from real estate listings.

These fraudulent posts often advertise houses at extremely low prices, such as a three-bedroom home for $650 a month and may claim “no credit check,” “utilities included,” or “move in immediately.”

The goal is to pressure renters into sending deposits or application fees before ever seeing the property. Once the money is sent, the scammer usually disappears, and the victim often learns the home was never available for rent in the first place.

In many cases, the property is actually for sale, already rented, or belongs to someone completely unrelated. Unfortunately, these payments are often made through untraceable methods, making it difficult to recover the funds.

According to Linda Baylis Spence, a local realtor, a good rule to remember is never send money or provide personal information without touring the home and verifying the listing through a licensed real estate professional.

“If a rental deal seems too good to be true, it likely is,” she said.