SAN DIEGO — The Craigslist apartment listing seemed too good to be true.
It was in the exact complex I had been searching for in North Park, and for half the price of any other listing I had seen. It even had all utilities included.
That was the first red flag.
I reached out to the person late at night, and they responded within minutes.
They asked the usual questions I expected: Do I have any pets? Have I ever been evicted? When would I want to move in?
Then I was told they are looking for a long-term tenant as their wife had been diagnosed with cancer. An explanation that didn't quite make sense. But I was very interested in the apartment, so I overlooked the second red flag.
Then they started talking about the money.
All I needed to pay was a $75 application fee through Zelle, a online money transfer service, and I would receive the keys. It was that simple -- and it was the third red flag. That one finally made me suspicious.
When I asked to tour the apartment before committing any money, they said, "It is easier and nothing to worry about."
When I pressed the issue, they stopped responding. Then I found the actual listing online that was posted by a reputable realtor. The Craigslist posting had ripped off all of the same info and photos. I contacted the original realtor to confirm whether or not the Craigslist listing was real.
They quickly responded: "Craigslist Scam."
These Craigslist apartment scams are nothing new. Back in 2019 we spoke to one military couple who lost $3,000 during a similar scheme.
In fact, I looked on Craigslist to see if I could spot any active scams. I found a 693 square foot apartment in North Park listed for $1,500 a month with availability on Jan. 6, 2023.
After a little bit of research, I found the original listing.
It was for an apartment that sold for $530,000 on June 24, 2022. The Craigslist ad had the same photos as the first listing. It even had almost the exact same description, but with slight changes.
For example:
Real Ad: "This is the best deal in North Park! Buy into this great area and live the California lifestyle you have been dreaming of, in style."
Fake Ad: "The finest offer in North Park is right here! Purchase a home in this fantastic neighborhood and live the luxurious California lifestyle you've always wanted to."
Jorge Castellon, a broker associate for Compass, sold the property in June.
"It's an easy scam because they just have to copy and paste from the computer and it's really hard for us to stop them from doing that," Castellon said.
He sees this scam far too often and gets about one phone call a week from concerned customers.
"This does happen a lot, and it's happened to people I know," Castellon said, adding that he knew one couple who lost between $6,000 to $8,000 for a fake listing in Coronado.
Recent data suggests these scams are becoming more and more frequent.
According to the Better Business Bureau's 2022 Online Scams Report, the pandemic has led to a significant growth of online scams, whereas scams over the phone have plummeted.
From 2015-16 to 2021-22, reported online scams grew 87%, while phone scams dropped 42%. But the report also found that while scammers are less frequently using phone calls, text messages are becoming a more common scamming tool.
With the end of 2022 just weeks away, many people will be looking for a new place to live as their lease expires and/or their rent goes up. The online rental market is filled with different websites offering a variety of options. But whether you are searching on Craigslist or any other website, the warning signs will be the same.
The City of San Diego has published a list of common things seen in apartment scams. The first point mentioned in their list is: If a deal looks "too good to be true," it most likely is.
"If the price is half price or 60% of what the market price, that's a huge red flag," Castellon said. "The market just wouldn't do that."
So if you are looking for an apartment right now, what are the best ways to avoid getting scammed?
1) Conduct outside research of the landlord and property to make sure it is legitimate. Also, examine the ad itself: does it have grammatical mistakes or spelling errors?
2) Avoid pushy sales tactics. If the seller is pressuring you to make a decision and pay them, hold your ground until you are confident it is not a scam.
3) Ask to tour the property and see photos not included in the listing. The City of San Diego says, "It is unlikely that a scammer will be able to send you additional, non-posted pictures of the property."
"Don't send money without seeing the property," Castellon said.
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan says that if you are the victim of a scam, you can report it to your local police agency or file a fraud complaint with the DA at realstatefraudcomplaints@sdcda.org.
