So, I'm getting scammed or something.

[cbwm1]

I've gotten several phone calls inquiring about a rental unit in Maryland this morning.

I live in Illinois and own no rental properties in Maryland.

So now I'm trying to track down the fucker using my phone number.

JAHSHWKJSBSWGUQKFLFJE

[FastHands]

Maybe just a phone # typo? I'd ask where they got your # and see if you can find contact info for the company or site host etc.

[snickers]

I would probably assume it was a typo, not a scam. Hope you figure it out though!

[janegold]

I got calls for Rolex watches for sale on Craigslist in a different state for months last year. I assumed it was a typo on the ad; maybe google your number and "Maryland apartment" or something?

[cbwm1]

So, here's where things get weird.

I googled the address of the property, and it's listed for sale with a Coldwell Banker agent.

I called him, told him what's going on. He doesn't understand why it's listed on a rental website. ESPECIALLY since it's a $375k, 4br/2ba, 2000 sq ft home in MD, and the rental ad has the rent set at $800.

I've also found my phone number listed on several websites associated with this property.

So, it seems kind of fishy.

[cookietime]

Oh! I've seen those kinds of ads - super nice places that are available to rent at a stupid low price. One time I actually emailed because I was hoping it might be legit, and got back a rambling, grammatically terrible email that was clearly a scam. Then I later found the house for sale for $600,000 or so, so it was clearly not really available to rent at $1200.

The scam on potential renters is probably to try to get deposit money for a place they'll never rent. I don't know why they'd put up our number though, or if they're somehow scamming you at all.

[FastHands]

Maybe someone is looking for short-term renters while testing out the market? They could've had a typo in the info they sent to several rental sites. It's odd, but there is nothing to gain from you in this situation so I doubt it's a scam.

[cbwm1]

Well, I've called back everyone who has called me and let them know it's likely a scam. They're all kind of idiots to believe it's true.

[dexteroni]

Someone is trying to do some scamming, but I don't think you're in any danger. They probably just made up a number and it happened to be yours. I would try to find an email address and tell them in no uncertain terms that they have to stop using your phone number immediately.

[winecat]

Nov 9, 2013 13:32:35 GMT -5 cookietime said:

Oh! I've seen those kinds of ads - super nice places that are available to rent at a stupid low price. One time I actually emailed because I was hoping it might be legit, and got back a rambling, grammatically terrible email that was clearly a scam. Then I later found the house for sale for $600,000 or so, so it was clearly not really available to rent at $1200.

The scam on potential renters is probably to try to get deposit money for a place they'll never rent. I don't know why they'd put up our number though, or if they're somehow scamming you at all.

Yup.  That happened here.  The people "renting" the houses took the deposits and screwed the renters out of their money.

[cbwm1]

I guess the good news is that I'm telling them it's a scam instead of them giving money to someone who will run away with it.

[Deleted]

Yeah, this is a pretty common scam these days. I see it all the time looking at rentals- they just steal the pictures of a for sale house. Sorry they used your number!

[bornbaker]

This what happened to the house we're currently renting...

We found the ad (was ridiculously low rent). Turned out to be a scam and I contacted the original poster (our currently landlords).

Anyway - people hijack the ad and try to scam people into sending first/last months rent etc. In our case, the scam e-mail said they were pastors on a mission trip in Africa and to send them the money, then they would send the lease. Ya. No. There were other things wrong with the e-mail which was how we figured out it was a scam.

[dexteroni]

Nov 9, 2013 13:41:22 GMT -5 mekiakoo said:

I'm confused. Why would they list your phone number if they're hoping to scam these people? Obviously they're not going to get anywhere by having these people call you.

Yeah good point. It must still have been a typo.

[dexteroni]

Nov 9, 2013 13:35:05 GMT -5 cbwm1 said:

Well, I've called back everyone who has called me and let them know it's likely a scam. They're all kind of idiots to believe it's true.

That was extraordinarily nice of you. I would have probably just deleted the messages.

[speckledfrog]

Very strange.

A few weeks back I kept getting texts inquiring about my car that is for sale. They were all MA numbers (my cell phone has a MA number) so I figured the person who placed the ad mistyped the number. At first I just ignored the texts, since I don't have a texting plan, but I kept getting them so I just responded that the ad was incorrect.

[TrickyBob]

When we first started looking for a house, we ran across this beautiful big brick house. The rent was something like $700, which we thought was really low. But we e-mailed about it. We got an e-mail back about how the owners are doing a mission trip in Africa and that if we send the deposit, they will send the keys to the house.

Yah, we later found it on Century21 listed for something like $250k. Thank Heavens we didn't fall for that one.