More On "Fake Landlord" Scams

The following links are to some recent stories on the "phony landlord" scam, in which a scam artist comandeers a vacant home - often a foreclosure (changes the locks, turns on utilities, gets rid of "for sale signs", etc.), advertises it for rent (ie. Craigslist, newspaper, etc.), and reels in an unwitting tenant, pocketing as much in upfront rent and security deposits as possible before taking off for parts unknown:

• Scammers using foreclosures to take advantage of would-be renters,
• Fake landlords rent vacant Cleveland houses, then vanish,
• Foreclosure Rental Scam Strikes Bay Area (video only).

Go here and go here for more on tenant victims of phony landlords. unwitting tenant rent scam yacht