RENTAL SCAM!
My family and I need to be out of our apartment by July first so I have been following BB Rents on Craigslist because they have the most 4 bdrm apts at a reasonable price. We came across a brand new 4 bedroom house for rent in Hamiton with a $1000 off first month's rent - made an appt to see it, saw it, liked it and put in an application for it. We have 3 adults so we put in our application with a $30 EACH application fee.
I knew something was off when I kept getting emails asking what rental we were looking at - the address was on all 3 applications, why do you keep asking what house we want?!? Finally we got an approval, but again - in the email, they were asking what house were we interested in. When I responded with the address, I get a reply saying "Oh, someone else is interested in that house as well - they are planning to come up with their rent and deposit on Friday in the afternoon (I got this response on a Wednesday). I let them know that we can also have our rent and deposit by Friday MORNING.
Lo and behold, I get a vague voicemail Thursday morning from a Jae, asking me to call her back. I called her back NOT EVEN 2 MINUTES LATER and it goes straight to voicemail. I reiterated again that I had the funds and I could meet them to draw up the paperwork ON FRIDAY AS PLANNED. (Little did I know they dont even have a physical address!) At about 6pm, I get TEXTS, not a call, saying that the place had been rented! And Jae claims the reason she was calling was to tell me that the "other renter" came up with their funds TODAY. WHY DIDNT YOU LEAVE THAT ON MY VOICEMAIL?!?
So I called (my call went straight to voicemail, of course!), then texted and asked about the other 10 places that were placed on Craigslist just 5 HOURS AGO, INCLUDING THE PLACE THAT I APPLIED FOR! None - NONE OF THESE PLACES ARE AVAILABLE - but hey! You can put your rent and deposit down on UPCOMING PLACES, SIGHT UNSEEN, ADDRESS UNKNOWN. Seriously?!?!?! Then she texts about some raggedy place that IS available but I would need $2990 UPFRONT. And I STILL won't be able to move in till July 1st. Why can't I pay the deposit now and pay my rent WHEN ITS DUE?!?!
I left them a message stating that I will SCREAM TO THE HIGH HEAVENS what a scam this place is! I will be contacting the Better Business Bureau, the Ohio Landlord Association, HUD and anybody else I can find. We are hard working people that's looking for a large place in the same general area so my grandchild can stay in the same school district. How and WHY would you place ads for places that are not available?!?!? Oh, I know - SO YOU CAN GET AS MANY APP FEES AND DEPOSITS AS YOU CAN.
Keep your hard earned money and STAY. AWAY. read more