Hoodwinked: Take a stand against con artists

Remember the days when they called the Internet the "information superhighway?"

In terms of breadth, it's lived up to the name, but as we all now know, a lot of the information out there, and that coming into our email boxes from it, isn't all that super.

It's also become more difficult to identify swindlers seeking to capitalize on our vulnerabilities. As our online technology has advanced, the schemers and scammers have honed their techniques, becoming slicker and slyer.

I discovered this myself recently when I responded to a Craigslist ad for a rental house in Post Falls. I shouldn't be surprised by this, but I was, because it's been a while since I've been caught off-guard by an online con.

The ad was for a 3-bedroom rancher, with a photo. It looked legitimate. The price seemed a little low for the house, but I assumed there was something about the home that was bringing the price down and figured it couldn't hurt to find out if it was something I could live with.

I sent an email to the Craigslist poster asking for more information.

Well, I got it, and the info was far from super, but it took a few minutes to confirm that. The scam was subtle, initially, with just small hints that something wasn't quite right - like the phrase following a few perfectly normal sentences indicating that the house was still available, completely renovated and close to public transportation. This is what caught my attention: "The bedrooms are equipped with everything you need for your stay."

What? I thought.

That sentence told me that someone who doesn't know better, a person unfamiliar with home rental parlance in the U.S., probably cut and pasted those words from a vacation home rental ad. I knew right then and there that it was a bogus ad, but I kept reading the email.

The alleged landlord gave me a real address for the home in the photo and an apology for not being available to show me the house, because he's in West Africa doing missionary work for a Christian organization. He also told me he had tried to sell the house before going overseas, but then decided to pull it off the market and rent it for the five years or so that he would be out of the country. The missionary bit seemed hinky, but there are a lot of people around here who go on Christian missionary trips to other countries. For the unsuspecting, that detail could be taken as an assurance, rather than a red flag.

There was also a lengthy rental application form included in the email, with lots of spaces for me to provide all kinds of information: my address and phone number; how many people I live with; whether I have any pets, and if so, what breed, size and temperament; whether I'm a Section 8 (housing assistance) applicant; if I work late at night; or run a business from home. At first it seemed harmless because there was no request for money, my bank information or my social security number, but I quickly realized this person was trying to case a joint and that joint would be my current home.

If I had provided the information requested, the con artist would know: where I live, whether I live alone, if I have a dog, my economic status based on whether I've applied for housing assistance, whether I'm home at night and if I have computers and other pricey business tools at my home. It makes me think there may be a black market for this information, like there is for credit card details.

The email was signed "Best regards and remain blessed," with a unique, but not un-American name. A quick Google search revealed there is a person living in Post Falls with that name, at a different address. It also showed me that this house was indeed for rent, however, it was being handled by a rental agent in Coeur d'Alene and the monthly price was about $350 more than the Craigslist ad was asking.

I called the rental agent, Nancy Hawkins, owner of Rental Property Management, and asked her if she was aware of the other person trying to rent this house. Nancy, who's been in business here since 1986, told me she was well aware of the scam, and that it's happened before.

"The first time we got hit was almost 18 months ago," she said.

It's happened to her about 10 times since, twice in the last month.

"This is insidious. They actually used our old tenant's name," Hawkins told me.

The fake landlord's name on my email was also an old tenant of Hawkins'. These old tenants have nothing to do with the bogus rental ads. But, because research shows them to be real people living in the area, a potential renter could be lulled into a false sense of security.

Hawkins is troubled because these swindlers are doing research, checking tax records and getting other specific information before selecting a rental ad to target.

Hawkins said they're finding that the home rentals ads being targeted are all homes in which the owner lives out of state.

In some cases, the scam is slightly different. Rather than being on a missionary trip, the alleged landlord claims to be deployed to Iraq. Insidious indeed.

The ad I had fallen for was for a home Hawkins' agency had put online for rent on a Saturday. By the following Sunday morning, the agency started getting calls from people like me, who had responded to the bogus Craigslist ad. One woman told Hawkins she almost sent the scammer some money. Hawkins said she's contacted Craigslist several times, but can only file complaints online. She's never heard from a live person. She's also reported it to the local police.

"We have no control over it. It's so frustrating," Hawkins said.

She said she tells people looking for rental homes on Craigslist to do a little research of their own. If there's a rental agent involved, look for their website. Most agencies that use Craigslist, and many of them do, also have their own business sites where the homes are listed with more information.

"If they're a mom-and-pop operation, then meet with them," Nancy said.

I obviously didn't respond to the email from the fake landlord, and got out of the situation with my personal information, except for my name and email address, intact.

Others might not be so lucky.

We know there are others out there who have had similar experiences, who have had their trust betrayed and even lost cash and valuables to swindlers like this.

There is a way to take a stand, to help others avoid being hoodwinked.

In addition to reporting the incident to the authorities, tell The Press about your experience. We'll check it out, make some calls, and we'll probably write about it. By shining a light on scams, we can make it a little more difficult for criminals like this to prey on members of our community.

Press reporter Maureen Dolan can be reached by email at mdolan@cdapress.com or at 664-8176 ext. 2005.