CORVALLIS, Ore. — Real estate brokers in Corvallis are warning of a rental scam that’s duping college students out of money and personal information.
Someone’s been
listing a house on Northwest Beca Avenue for rent, but it’s actually for sale through Keller Williams Realty.
The scammer is posing as the homeowner and telling victims he’s out of state on a mission trip. He says the “For Sale” sign in the yard is a mistake and that renters shouldn’t call the realtor.
Keller Williams real estate broker Marnie Zoa says, thankfully, people have been calling her about the bogus ad.
“What’s happening is we’re having a low vacancy rate so people are having to go outside of their usual area to look for rental opportunities,” said Zoa. “That’s when people are taken advantage of.”
Zoa advised avoiding rental houses that no one is available to show in person. She said it’s also a good idea to look up the property owners’ names, which are available online through public records.
Zoa said she’s flagging the bogus ads and will start hanging “Not For Rent” signs in windows of homes she sells in the future. The sale on the Beca Avenue home is pending, but Zoa fears the scam will continue.
“The houses will sell,” she said, “But I don’t want anybody to get hurt in the meantime.”