By: Property Management Systems – Portland’s leading resource for rental news.
PORTLAND Ore. – If you’re looking for a Portland Oregon Rental Property right now one of the realities that you face is the fact that there’s going to be more than one scam rental property out there and sadly these scams will only get worse instead of better since scammers around the world know that they can prey on renters by offering rental properties in Portland Oregon for a few hundred dollars less than the average rental.
In this article we will cover 2016 rental scams so you will know what to be on the lookout for and avoid the time, money and hassle of getting scammed.
How Portland Oregon Rental Scams Work
Sadly, rental scams are fairly easy for any scammer to run in 2016 thanks to online data which can provide a scammer with everything they need to know about a home even if they don’t live in Portland Oregon or the United States.
Any scammer can easily create an email account, Craigslist account and online phone number to make it look like they live in Portland when they could be living in Nigeria or elsewhere in the world.
Rental scams in 2016 are common on websites like Craigslist and typically involve an advertisement where the owner claims they are living in another city or country, most likely there for work, or as a missionary, and they will ask you to drive by the property first then contact them if you are interested in renting.
Once the rental scam moves forward the scammer will either ask you to send them the money for the deposit via direct deposit or electronic transfer and from the point that the funds have been transferred to their account the scammer will end communication and you will be left trying to get the keys for the property that you rented without realizing that you’ve been scammed.
Taking Homes without Owners Realizing It
Thanks to a recent report by fox4kc.com we know that many homeowners across the United States including some in Portland Oregon have fallen victim to rental scams and had their homes taken without them even realizing it.
“How do you steal a house? They stole my house!”
That was property owner Jaymi Munn’s reaction upon learning someone else posted her rental property as their own, complete with a Nebraska area code phone number listed as the contact.
What she found just as shocking was the response she got when she contacted the person.
“Basically she swore at me and said, ‘this is my house, this is not your house,'” said Munn.
However, that isn’t true. FOX 4 called the ‘402’ number also, but with no luck.
Munn’s story isn’t unique. FOX 4 also heard from the owner of a separate property in KCMO, who’s had a similar experience. This time the contact was listed with a New Jersey based number.
FOX 4 decided to give that one a try, too. The man who answered the phone, claimed the property was his. When he was told why we were asking him, he hung up the phone. After getting disconnected from the man on the phone several times, he simply decided not to answer any more questions. The only response give when FOX 4 inquired further was “Thank You.”
As it turns out, the same phone number is listed in connection with a property scam out of Portland, Oregon. Titan Properties posted the scam alert on its Facebook page and even provided FOX 4 with an email coming from a potential victim.
In it, a man calling himself Christopher Sommer claimed he worked for US-AID, and had to leave Portland for a job in Florida.
Source – fox4kc.com
How To Avoid Getting Scammed
To avoid getting scammed when searching for Portland Oregon Rental Properties make sure you do the following:
- Know what the average property is renting for in Portland or your target area because scammers will often list a rental for $200 to $500 less per month to attract the attention of renters.
- Look for rental advertisements with poor grammar or spelling errors because some scammers have a poor command of the English language and they are easy to spot especially after you read them for the first time.
- Avoid rental ads where the owner claims to be working out of the country on business, for school or missionary work because most of these ads were written by scammers.
- Never send money to any property owner online or electronically, always insist to meet with them first so you can verify that they are indeed a real person.
- Do not pay to have your credit score verified online unless you are instructed to do so by a legitimate property management company, or the REAL owner of a rental property. This is important because another common rental scam over the last 12 months involves third party affiliate websites where the scammer will get a commission when someone clicks on their link to verify their credit score typically for $1.
Always use your head when searching for a rental property and remember that if a property seems too good to be true it probably is and you should run in the other direction.
Save Time and Money with Portland Oregon Property Management
To avoid getting scammed when renting a Portland Oregon Rental Property contact Property Management Systems today by calling us at (503) 515-3170 or click here to connect with us online.
We also help owners net more money from their rental properties and will provide you with the quality service and excellent support needed to get the most ROI from your rental possible.
Property Management Systems is a Professional Property Management Company that specializes in the management of single family homes, small multiplex units and large apartment communities throughout Portland, Oregon.
Our State licensed and accredited property managers have heightened expertise and industry knowledge to assist them in doing the best possible job for you. They are real estate professionals who know first-hand the unique challenges of managing Portland Oregon rental property in today’s constantly changing economic and legislative environment and they know how to manage those challenges to everyone’s benefit.
Source- Property Management Systems
