# Rental property in Florida-Is this a scam? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 27, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084 "2015-03-27T03:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/21 "2015-03-28T17:29:48Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > What if someone really fell for this? Takes us for example. We would have sent a couple thousand dollars to him, spent a couple thousand on the moving company, rented out our house, and drove all the way to Florida. Once we got there, the REAL owners would have answered the door. We would have had no money, no place to stay there, and no place to stay back home, if we could even get back here. And all of our belongings would be in Florida. What a mess. It’s called due diligence and every person is responsible for doing their own before handing over their cash, signing anything, making life changes, etc. Confirm facts, independently verify what you have been told, “kick the tires” until you are certain that what you are handing your money over for is what you are getting. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/22 "2015-03-30T13:00:48Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > What if someone really fell for this? [It isn’t an “if.”](http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-04-07/business/os-orlando-rent-scam-20120402_1_vacant-houses-rental-houses-leasing-agent) ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/23 "2015-03-30T13:51:22Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > I might actually do that and see what he says. 😉 > > What if someone really fell for this? Takes us for example. We would have sent a couple thousand dollars to him, spent a couple thousand on the moving company, rented out our house, and drove all the way to Florida. Once we got there, the REAL owners would have answered the door. We would have had no money, no place to stay there, and no place to stay back home, if we could even get back here. And all of our belongings would be in Florida. What a mess. Well, if it makes you feel any better, the real owners probably DON’T actually live there right now, which is why the scammers are listing their property as a rental. So what would more likely happen is that you would get moved in, and whatever neighbor or friend keeps an eye on the property would come by during or after the move, call the real owners to check, then the owners would call the cops on you, and THEN you’d be up shit creek. If you want to muck with the scammers, go to the florida property website and find the actual owners, see if you can hunt them down, and send the scammer’s email and website listing over so they can call the cops. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/24 "2015-03-30T14:09:43Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > What if someone really fell for this? We would have sent a couple thousand dollars to him, spent a couple thousand on the moving company, rented out our house, and drove all the way to Florida… We would have had no money, no place to stay there, and no place to stay back home, if we could even get back here. And all of our belongings would be in Florida. What a mess. How do people really make such major changes in life with no checking on anything? 1. Spending thousands of dollars?–I’d think very carefully. 2. Packing up everything you own, not knowing where you’ll put it when you get to your destination?–I’d think very carefully. 3. Renting out my house (the most valuable thing I own) to somebody else, thereby cutting off any option of changing my decision going back ? I’d not only think carefully, I would act carefully. 4. Moving to Florida with **NO previous preparations**? I would neither think carefully, nor act carefully----I just simply would not do it. A major life move requires major preparation --beforehand. Do your homework first, not after it’s too late. Before spending tens of thousands, I’d spend a few hundred: just one little plane ticket , to physically go to Florida and check out the situation. And if you have to rely on total strangers, you have to be aware of possible scams, so I’d try to limit that-- by using strangers who are at least licensed in their profession…a real estate agent, and a lawyer to look at the contract and the property deed. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/25 "2015-03-30T14:39:21Z")
Whenever someone goes to such lengths to explain why they are moving, without you asking, it’s a scam. Landlords would respond asking for references for you, and a credit application. Go to Florida, rent one of those “by the month” apartments, and do the shopping via car and foot. If the person (landlords) can let you into the house, show you around, answer questions about the neighborhood, and seems more concerned about qualifying you than grabbing your money, it’s probably real. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/26 "2015-03-30T15:50:45Z")
Thanks to everyone for confirming what I feared. I’m not a trusting sort of person at all, so it would take a lot of proof before I would send any money to someone. I’ve been planning, researching this move for almost a year now, and I’m getting so frustrated. I just want to get my mom (who is 80 and in good health), out of this cold weather, so she can live the rest of her life in comfort. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/27 "2015-03-30T19:41:45Z")
At the risk of being simplistic, why not hire a real estate agent? ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/28 "2015-03-30T21:33:10Z")
You might want to check the IP address of where the email was sent. This can help you figure out if it’s a scam. (For what it’s worth, I think this is.) ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/29 "2015-03-31T02:02:39Z")
**Honey** , what art of Florida are you looking at? I’m in Broward County, and have lived here for 30+ years. Feel free to PM me if I can be of any assistance. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/30 "2015-03-31T13:56:19Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > **Honey** , what art of Florida are you looking at? > I’m in Broward County, and have lived here for 30+ years. Feel free to PM me if I can be of any assistance. Thank you, but we are checking out the gulf coast. Around Cape Coral/Fort Myers. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/31 "2015-03-31T13:59:00Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > At the risk of being simplistic, why not hire a real estate agent? That would be the easiest thing to do. Agents seem to represent the most expensive places, and also those that require a background check. My daughter will be going with us, and she has a “colorful” past. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/32 "2015-03-31T16:11:06Z")
Is your daughter with the colorful past doing to be actually signing paperwork? If not, what does it matter who is going to be going with you? For all the real estate agent knows, she could just be coming down with you to help the old lady move in. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/33 "2015-04-01T04:17:01Z")
If you are looking at that part of the state, you NEED eyes on the ground. That the the area where the fly-by-nights concentrated. Good luck. Be aware of the old Kingston Trio _ **Everglades** _ lyrics: “Where a man can hide and never be found And have no fear of the bayin’ hounds But he better keep movin’ and don’t stand still If the skeeters don’t get him then the 'gaters will” Have a point. In Gainesville, every dawn was announced by trucks spraying insecticides over the county. And they still had 6" long cockroaches - which flew. Find out how the local deal with the wildlife. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/34 "2015-04-01T05:13:12Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Whenever someone goes to such lengths to explain why they are moving, without you asking, it’s a scam. Landlords would respond asking for references for you, and a credit application. > [@astro](#): > > There’s something about the way Nigerian scammers write that’s very distinctive. It’s almost a Charles Dickens flavor to the correspondence . . . I swear there must be some kind of style guide that they all study in some kind of scammer academy, because they do indeed almost all exhibit a similar set of rhetorical and linguistic cues. Even if both emails had been error-free, there are certain giveaways. For example: –As noted by **Morgenstern** , right off the bat they explain why they’re moving. Why is that even relevant? Real landlords don’t bother to tell anyone why they don’t live in the property themselves. Scammers hope that this will create empathy in the potential victim. –The “neatnik” thing, and the notion that they want someone who is going to take extra special care of their house. They present themselves as being (what they expect) to be the potential victim’s alter ego. –The pet thing. They not only make a point of mentioning pets, but of saying they have one themselves–another possible venue for empathy, if the potential victim should have a pet. –And of course, the religious overtones “remained blessed,” and, “against our doctrine to take advantage of people.” They probably have more success with people who assume that attestations of a religious beliefs are sure indicators of moral character. –Other common rhetorical tropes: the scammer presents the persona of someone who faces some kind of adversity but remains positive; the scammer’s persona somehow knows that the target is trustworthy person; and, as **astro** points out, Dickensian formality in the initial email, (which falls by the wayside when the target starts asking for specifics). It’s like they’re all written by the same person. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/35 "2015-04-01T15:13:34Z")
Ah, a scam in the classic Nigerian Christian style. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/36 "2015-04-01T19:05:52Z")
How to spot a scam: 1. The price is really good. I mean, _really_ good. Often, utilities are included. 2. The owner is out of state - far enough away that getting to the house isn’t feasible. 3. The owner doesn’t list the actual address, because the last time they did, the place was vandalized. 4. The owner makes any mention at all of his\her heir religious faith 5. The owner mentions that they want someone who will ‘take care of the house’. 6. The owner mentions that _used to have_ a real estate agent for the property, but doesn’t want to use them anymore. A legit landlord or owner may have one of these, but multiples? No way. I just rented a house last month. In our search in the Sacramento area, I encountered 10 scammers. All had most, if not all, of the above. If you look long enough, you will see multiple properties with the exact same photos. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/37 "2015-04-01T19:18:08Z")
> [@Lasciel](#): > > Is your daughter with the colorful past doing to be actually signing paperwork? > > If not, what does it matter who is going to be going with you? For all the real estate agent knows, she could just be coming down with you to help the old lady move in. Background checks are required for everyone in the house over the age of 18. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084/38 "2015-04-02T03:09:50Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Absent owner. Always a red flag. Hard to rent a single-family home if you are living in it. That said, I don’t understand your reasoning. I own out-of-state single family homes for rental (handled by reputable property managers) that I’ve never spent a night in. Because a couple of them are held in an IRA, spending a night (if caught) would actually void my retirement account benefits (or so my accountant tells me). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rental-property-in-florida-is-this-a-scam/716084.md?page=1)