Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – John Frase is looking to rent a house. He found one on Craigslist that might fit his needs. After he filled out an application, however, he was asked to wire a deposit to an address in Nigeria. In return, he was promised the keys to the house and all the paperwork necessary for completing the transaction.
It sounds fishy. And it is. It’s a classic real estate scam.
The house listed in the ad is on Autumnal Lane in Clay through “Property Management Alliance in Syracuse. But the folks there told NewsChannel 9 that it was rented out some time ago. The person who posted the ad on Craiglist took the agency’s original listing and copied it as his own. If John was to send the $500 deposit, it’s pretty much guaranteed he’d never see the money again, nor would he see the house.
The two signs to tip you off that a real-estate ad on Craiglist is not legitimate are as follows: First, the homeowner claims to be out of the country for some reason. Second, the person wants you to wire the money in exchange for keys.
If you want to know The Real Deal about something, call (315) 446-9900 or email YourStories@9wsyr.com.
