Police Warn of Real Estate Scam

Police on Monday warned residents not to be duped out of cash by responding to real estate ads on Craig's List that request money be wired as a downpayment on a property that the resident is interested in renting or buying.

The warning from Police Sgt. James Perez came after a scammer posing as a real estate agent took a picture of a Fairfield Beach Road house listed by Nicholas H. Fingelly Real Estate in Southport, posted the picture on Craig's List and stated that it could be rented for $1,250 a month. The scammer said a downpayment of $1,000 was required, along with personal information from the person interested in renting it.

Perez said the scammer, who identified himself as "Pastor Fred Swift," nearly duped someone out of $1,000 on Friday through that posting, which was flagged for removal after Nicholas H. Fingelly Real Estate caught wind of what was happening and contacted Craig's List before the downpayment was sent, Perez said.

The potential victim had e-mailed the scammer about the rental property, but, when she looked up the property again on Craig's List, it had been flagged for removal, Perez said.

The house is actually able to be rented for $6,500 a month - far more than the scammer was advertising, Perez said.

"The potential person who falls for this becomes a double victim, becomes a victim twice," Perez said, adding that not only does the victim lose $1,000, but also is a potential victim of identity theft since the scammer also requests personal information.

Perez said residents should beware of any solicitation that asks for money to be wired because once money is wired, it's impossible to get back. "Once the transaction's complete, you will not get your money back. Wiring should be left to true emergencies involving family and friends when you know where they are," Perez said. "It's important to have information first-hand that a relative is travelling."

Another scam, known as the "Grandma Scam," also involves wiring money. In that scam, a scammer posing as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police calls a senior citizen and tells the senior that his or her grandson has been arrested in Canada and needs money for bail. The "grandson" then gets on the phone and says he'll explain everything later and not to tell his parents because he doesn't want to get into more trouble.

Perez said real estate agents should be aware of the real estate scam and check their property listings to ensure someone else isn't identifying himself as the agent for the property.

Perez said another scam taking place involves someone from a "government agency" who calls to ask people to verify account information. "No government agency or legitimate agency will ask you to verify account information because they already have it," Perez said.