Phony Philly Landlord Rents Out Same Home To Three Different Tenants, Pockets $4,800, Leaves 3 Renters In The Lurch

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, WCAU-TV Channel 10 reports on a story of a local scammer who illegally leased out a home he didn't own to three different families and made off with the upfront cash paid by each. The families learned they were scammed when they all tried to move into the home on the same day. An excerpt from the story:

• NBC 10 tracked the real owner to Blueline Investment Group, LLC, a Philadelphia rental management company. It turned out the company manages four other rental properties where the same thing happened -- someone illegally rented properties they don't own.

***

• Experts said scams like this are increasing because of the poor economy. "Unfortunately, there are many people who [are] renting houses that they don't own," said Lance Haver, a Philadelphia consumer advocate. "Usually when someone does this, it's a house that's in foreclosure, the family are losing the house to a sheriff's sale. … Some thief comes along and finds a vacant house."

Reportedly, the scammer found his victims by taking an ad out in the local paper, paying cash for the ad. As a result of the scam, the paper has changed its policy and requires payment with a credit card, according to the story.

For more, see Scam Leaves 3 Families Moving Into Same House (Local Housing Scam Conning Renters Out Of Thousands) (read story) (watch video).

Go here and go here for other posts on tenant victims of rent hoaxes. unwitting tenant rent scam yacht