Summer tends to be a fun time of year for people. Pack the family up and head out to the lake, have a picnic, and other fun activities. It is also fun for the scam artists of the world, as they get to bring out some different types of scams. Jim Temmer of the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin spoke with SeehaferNews.com recently, and he warns that theses scammers will try to lure you in with the promise of a perfect rental property. He explains that the scammers will post attractive rental properties, and will ask for an advanced payment to secure it. After the payment is through “…one of two things usually happens,” Temmer told us. “The contract for the rental never arrives, or you receive it, sign it, and you head to the house, only to realize it doesn’t exist.”
The listings usually look very realistic, because sometimes they are legitimate vacation spots. Temmer says that these scammers will take actual listings, and post the actual pictures, and data for them on places like Craigslist, making the inquiry as legitimate looking as possible. That is what makes this such an effective scam, the combination of legitimate vacations spots, with a non-legit seller.
Temmer did explain how you can avoid being taken for a ride by these scammers. “Don’t wire or transfer money to anyone you don’t personally know,” he warned. “Try and use places you can get referrals, or that is a legitimate site, so you’re not just pulling stuff off of Craigslist.”
If you do get scammed, be sure to inform the BBB and your local police department.
