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07-07-2012, 09:24 AM | #1 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: South Florida
Posts: 8,008
| WARNINH!!! Beware of vacation rental scams!! wow.. I am so upset that I hope I can express the warning in a way that helps others!! My dh's birthday is in Aug. we (my dd and myself) decided to rent a cottage for a few days/nights in Key West. It is about a 3 hour drive and it would be fun for all of us. So the "hunt" for a place that is nice and affordable. We started with listing in craigslist. I have used craigslist in the past.. First rental was really cute..so I sent an inquiry to the listing and get a response from "sandra smith" we came to an agrement on dates and price. I asked for an address and said I would be down next week and could I meet her there and pay (my dh had to go down for 1 day for business.. he has a solar energy company and installs solar pool heater etc).. RED FLAG.. she only takes bank transfers!! Second rental.. you know I don't even remember where I found it but got an answer to my inquiry.. address was given, dates are good, price is doable.. I asked for picture. I had a name and a phone number .. looked up the name ..yes there was a person by that name that lived in the Keys.. good so far. The cell phone number was registered in the keys.. very good. She takes paypal.. very very good. So close! Then I decided to google the address... found out the property just sold last month and was a 1.5 million dollar property.. hmmm not good. I went back to look at the pictures she sent me... hmmmmm they were the same pictures as posted with the realtor advertisement... really not good. Went to Monron County public records.. the property was owned by a trust ..not her name....really not good I called paypal and reported her paypal address as a fraud/scam. I then (very stupid) emailed good ole Sandra Smith and said I would not rent the property.. I felt it was a scam because she only took bank tranfers and karma would deal with her. She emailed me back and said karma was going to kill me and bomb my country! Hmmm.. what do you think she was??? I have decided to rent via a realtor or just get a room at the hyatt
__________________ Shinja mom to Remy lil Sis to Bailey and Sammy |
Welcome Guest! | |
07-07-2012, 09:31 AM | #2 |
I ♥ my girls! Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: With My Yorkies
Posts: 18,980
| Oh my goodness! It is a sad world any more. No one can be trusted.
__________________ Momma to three sweet Yorkie girls Rosie Marie, Mikki Leigh , and Lily Mae Grace! |
07-07-2012, 09:33 AM | #3 |
I♥ my girls Luma+Rosie Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Aggieland, TX
Posts: 3,359
| Oh my goodness... thank god you looked into it further and didnt lose any money. Just time...and gas I'm so sorry. That is SCARY!! I can't believe some people. Hope PayPal shuts the one woman down so no one gets scammed. And goodness Sandra...that's crazy. I hope that with the realtor you can find an affordable place and enjoy your DH's birthday...what a sweet surprise!
__________________ Carmen, mama to Luma & my little angel in Heaven, Rosie. |
07-07-2012, 10:27 AM | #4 |
Donating YT 18K Club Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Yorkie Zoo
Posts: 34,152
| I would try VRBO, Shinja. I have had very good luck with them. Can we come along??
__________________ Lisa, Mom to Curri Bee Vindi Loo Tikka Masala Sugar Baby |
07-07-2012, 11:05 AM | #5 |
I♥PeekTinkySaph&Finny Donating Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 18,866
| Wow! Nice people! There's a craigslist 'car for sale' scam going on here in Baltimore. People show up at a meeting place with thousands of dollars to make the purchase and they get robbed and sometimes shot!
__________________ Kat Chloe Lizzy PeekABooTinkerbell SapphireInfinity |
07-07-2012, 11:09 AM | #6 |
Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 27,450
| I don't ever look on CL for anything. Too many nutcases out there and I just don't feel like wading through the muck.
__________________ |
07-07-2012, 11:15 AM | #7 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,044
| I agree with ladyjane - I would go through a rental agency (real estate agency). Good luck! Or hey, the Hyatt may work too.
__________________ ~Lori ~ Mom to fur babies Jack, Izzy & Jada & their kitty siblings, Mr. Poops, Milo, Pearl & barn kitty Nanny. |
07-07-2012, 11:17 AM | #8 |
I ♥ my girls! Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: With My Yorkies
Posts: 18,980
| My sister finds all kind of stuff on CL. I personally never look on it. I have heard too many horror stories. So I just say away.
__________________ Momma to three sweet Yorkie girls Rosie Marie, Mikki Leigh , and Lily Mae Grace! |
07-07-2012, 11:25 AM | #9 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Texas
Posts: 1,921
| Vrbo and homeaway.com are both very reliable.
__________________ Life is merrier with a Yorkshire Terrier! Jezebel & Chuy ... RIP: Barkley Loosie & Sassy |
07-07-2012, 11:48 AM | #10 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: FL, USA
Posts: 2,767
| Yikes!!!
__________________ - Cat Brody Mia BriaStormy |
07-07-2012, 11:50 AM | #11 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Kentucky
Posts: 2,995
| We always use a realty company and I have heard nothing but good things about VRBO and Homeway.com. It is too easy to get scammed so we have to be very careful...
__________________ Have a great day... Mommy to Yoshi and Miss Priss |
07-07-2012, 11:52 AM | #12 |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY
Posts: 6,582
| How awful. Did "Sandra Smith" have an accent? I guess we have so many illegal people here it would be hard to distinguish. I once worked with a Family Medicine Resident from China who told me how so many people from China get into the country illegally. It's not just a south of the boarder issue. Very sad that people who want us bombed are also making money off of the country they hate so much. I was reading an article last week about a homeless man who was arrested after renting out a house that was in foreclosure several times. He would meet the people at the empty house and take their large cash deposits then get the rest by bank transfer later. He was finally caught when the woman who purchased the house caught him "showing" the place. He told the police he needed the money to rent a place for himself. |
07-07-2012, 11:54 AM | #13 |
YT Addict Join Date: May 2012 Location: secaucus, nj
Posts: 483
| I'm so sorry this happened to you!!!! Hopefully, you caught onto the scam in time and will recoup any payment. Can you forward the email transaction & the history of the home to the police?? They might be investigate this scam. Best wishes & I hope you find your vacation rental without any further mishap! Good luck. Tracey |
07-07-2012, 11:56 AM | #14 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Illinois
Posts: 725
| Wow.. It's so hard to trust people anymore. But Craigslist is known for scams. I've used Craigslist once to buy a car for my daughter. Thank goodness that it was a legit ad, but I wish they would have to charge a fee for the ad. That way, alot of these scams wouldn't go on.
__________________ KIM Proud mom of ELLE and ABBIE and BELLE |
07-07-2012, 11:59 AM | #15 |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 3,609
| That's awful!!! I'm so glad you're being cautious!!
__________________ Sarah Sophia & Brody |
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