# Evil Craigslist scams targeting apartment hunters. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 5, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858 "2011-05-05T17:43:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/21 "2011-05-07T11:16:51Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Timely rant. I spent all day yesterday looking at apartment sites. The biggest things I ran across were the “rent to own” housing ads. The ones that say, “The house in the pictures may not be available, but…” Jesus, I won’t even rent to own a toaster. ☹ My toaster has very low mileage, though. Do you know how much you’d have to pay for it NEW? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/22 "2011-05-07T11:48:32Z")
They do this via Gumtree in the UK too. Three years ago I got a “I’m working for the UN in Barcelona but you sound like I can trust you so send me a deposit and I’ll send you the key”. I very nearly fell for it, but went to the address (a house) and found from the outside that it differed profoundly from the property advertised (a flat). ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/23 "2011-05-08T03:51:53Z")
Encountered a facebook scam the other day when I got a friend request from my daughter in law. We were already friends but I thought she had started a new account for some reason. Used her name and profile picture. Then when I jumped on FB she{faker} Im’d me. I thought it was her and when she started talking about winning a lottery , and I could win too, I knew it was a scam. My daughter in law said a lot of her friends got the same treatment. The weird thing was the scammer communicating live through IM. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/24 "2011-05-08T04:49:11Z")
And even though they switched to zinc for the penny, I think it (along with the nickel) actually costs more than face value to mint. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/25 "2011-05-08T05:34:38Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And even though they switched to zinc for the penny, I think it (along with the nickel) actually costs more than face value to mint. OK, that’s clearly for the wrong thread. That’s what I get for having multiple tabs open. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/26 "2011-05-08T11:31:12Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Encountered a facebook scam the other day when I got a friend request from my daughter in law. We were already friends but I thought she had started a new account for some reason. Used her name and profile picture. > > Then when I jumped on FB she{faker} Im’d me. I thought it was her and when she started talking about winning a lottery , and I could win too, I knew it was a scam. My daughter in law said a lot of her friends got the same treatment. **The weird thing was the scammer communicating live through IM**. There are bots for that; if you Google for it you can find transcripts of those IM scams and the people who mess w/ them getting pat responses to ridiculous questions. It goes live when there’s a fish on the hook and a human’s notified. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/27 "2011-05-08T12:16:48Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > There are bots for that; if you Google for it you can find transcripts of those IM scams and the people who mess w/ them getting pat responses to ridiculous questions. It goes live when there’s a fish on the hook and a human’s notified. Well this Bot was answering specific questions from me. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/28 "2011-05-09T18:46:18Z")
I have a Finnish uncle in the UK with breast cancer and I really need a toaster… have you no heart? ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/29 "2011-05-09T19:10:55Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > I have a Finnish uncle in the UK with breast cancer and I really need a toaster… > > have you no heart? What range were you looking to pay for a heart? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/30 "2011-05-11T03:23:53Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > What range were you looking to pay for a heart? Don’t listen to them. I have a heart you can rent-to-own. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/31 "2011-05-11T04:33:56Z")
CL can be good on getting leads for places that are available, but you really shouldn’t fill anything out until you’ve actually visited the place in person and talked to the manager/landlord. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/32 "2011-05-11T09:56:30Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > CL can be good on getting leads for places that are available, but you really shouldn’t fill anything out until you’ve actually visited the place in person and talked to the manager/landlord. It is curious how many property owner are missionaries in West Africa, and will send you the keys for a $500 deposit. Such selfless souls, these Craigslist landlords. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/33 "2011-05-11T10:38:39Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > What range were you looking to pay for a heart? Whose heart are you willing to offer for the range? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/34 "2011-05-11T13:16:57Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > It is curious how many property owner are missionaries in West Africa, and will send you the keys for a $500 deposit. Such selfless souls, these Craigslist landlords. They must have trouble finding apartments there; there’s so many missionaries. Maybe they’re living in dorms. Is there a Craigslist West Africa? We could clean up! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/35 "2011-05-12T01:04:35Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And even though they switched to zinc for the penny, I think it (along with the nickel) actually costs more than face value to mint. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > OK, that’s clearly for the wrong thread. That’s what I get for having multiple tabs open. You could make it fit this thread by talking about how the nickel is made of wood… ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/36 "2011-05-14T03:28:58Z")
Damn, this is a pitting I can get behind! It seems everyone lists in the Bay Area on Craigslist, but the scams are so well written, and often the legitimate listings are so poorly written, that it is impossible to tell them apart. This is going to be exhausting! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/37 "2011-05-16T01:04:04Z")
I prefer to rent from professionally managed properties. While I used CL as a central locator of sorts, I only used the ads to get links to websites of companies with multiple properties to rent. So CL was useful to narrow down the locations, and my search was shortened even more once I only took the ads with pictures, and with a property management’s information readily available. Didn’t deal with any scammers this way, and found a great apartment for which I’ve just renewed a second year’s lease. Hope that helps someone with their search. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/38 "2011-05-16T01:11:33Z")
We found an apartment via Craigslist, too. It’s definitely doable, but there are times when it seems much harder than necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/39 "2011-05-17T21:29:21Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > Thats why i never do Buisness with people who cant at least run Spell Check. Spelling for is usually not to the problem. On sometimes is the problem was to be the grammar and for to the sentence structure. For you to send me $1,200 USD to my humble home in Nairobi through the Western Union for to me will better explain to you further. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858/40 "2011-05-17T21:35:42Z")
> [@Mince](#): > > Spelling for is usually not to the problem. On sometimes is the problem was to be the grammar and for to the sentence structure. For you to send me $1,200 USD to my humble home in Nairobi through the Western Union for to me will better explain to you further. Nenge? Nenge Mboko? It is me, Lionel Joseph! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evil-craigslist-scams-targeting-apartment-hunters/580858.md?page=3)