By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – A new report from the Better Business Bureau warns virtually anyone in Illinois could be
victimized by rental scammers.

BBB Chicago President Steve Bernas says a new study by the organization shows the
fraud is widespread and affecting every part of the country.

“Rental fraud is actually increasing, not only here in Chicago and Northern Illinois, but
across North America,” Bernas said. “A national survey found that 43 percent of people
have encountered a fake listing online and about 5.2 million people have been ripped off
by rental scams recently.”

The scam often involves copying the photo and description of a property already listed
somewhere online and then changing the contact information.

“And what it basically is a fake listing,” Bernas said. “So you’re giving information or
you’re wiring money to somebody that’s a scammer who is using a real listing of
somebody else’s. They’re copying, pasting listings and you think you’re going to see a
legitimate offer when it’s actually just a scam artist taking advantage of the situation.”

The fraudsters usually ask for a deposit or first month’s rent, which Bernas said can be
difficult to recover, even after the victim figures out the scam.

“There’s that small chance we can get the money back,” Bernas said, “but, by and large,
when you wire your money to somebody that’s basically like opening a window and
throwing the money out. The same thing. You’re not going to get it back.”

While the scam might be more prevalent in larger cities due to the sheer number of rental
properties available, reports indicate consumers anywhere could be fooled.

“Mostly major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are in the top three that
we have seen,” Bernas said. “But it’s happening in Small Town, USA, and in vacation
spots. If someone is renting a vacation home, they don’t know until they get there that
there is no vacation home because they paid the fee, they filled out the documentation,
and they think they have a place to stay.”

According to the report, more than five million consumers have lost money to such
scams. Bernas advises that renters avoid clicking links in a post or a private message that
might take you to an unsecured location. He urges consumers to simply type the link
directly into their browser.

“We tell consumers to make certain that they’re dealing obviously with the reputable
site,” Bernas said. “And if the offer seems too good to be true, it usually is.”

The Better Business Bureau asks consumers to report any potential frauds to BBB.org.

Illinois Radio Network can be reached at [email protected].