L.A. Cops Sting Pair Accused Of Running Phony Rental Scam, Renting Foreclosed Homes They Didn't Own To Unwitting Renters

In Los Angeles, California, KABC-TV Channel 7 reports:

• L.A. police warn residents of a rental scam involving foreclosed properties. Two suspects have been arrested, but more could be at large. Police said the scam artists would pose as property owners, and then collect cash in exchange for a promise to rent homes to victims. Authorities believe the scam artists were targeting people throughout Southern California. Octavio Alvarez, an ex-real estate agent, and Joseph Estrada were caught and arrested by detectives last month during a sting operation.

• Detectives said Alvarez would get listings of foreclosed properties, and the pair would target low-income members of the Latino community. They would distribute fliers written in Spanish, advertising homes for rent. When potential renters would call, the suspects would go to one of the foreclosed homes and pretend to be the owners. [...] Police believe the suspects may have targeted at least 20 victims. [...] The suspects are free on bail. They face charges of commercial burglary and grand theft.

For more, see Scam artists trick renters in L.A. scam. KappaPhonyLandlordScam