Beware of the latest scam on Craigslist, if you're hunting for a house or apartment.
Karen Dolan couldn't believe her eyes: two-bedroom apartments in prime Bergen County locations for $1,200 or less.
The prices were bogus, part of the latest scam hitting North Jersey and other parts of the country, an attempt to get would-be renters to pay a modest security deposit and to get them to disclose personal information that could be used to steal their money.
It's a scam that combines hopes built around a depressed real estate market, religious charity and the growing popularity of Craigslist as the go-to source for some apartment hunters.
Throw in a touch of the Nigerian money-laundering letters and you have an idea of what Dolan faced when she turned to Craigslist in her search for an apartment in North Jersey without paying a realtor's fee. Each time she heard back from "gentlemen who contacted me with similar stories about going to Africa as part of the church and therefore were renting out their houses for a lower cost." Like many scams, this one had lots of details that added to the credibility. One included a link to a legitimate Georgia-based African ministry for which the supposed owner worked, and each told how he was willing to take less in rent if he could find a person who would take good care of the property.
Link: http://www.northjersey.com/news/business/business_news/Home_hunters_fall_prey_to_scam_finding_prices_too_good_to_be_true.html