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Realtor catches scammer trying to rent Boise home

A local real estate agent says his listing was ripped off his website and listed on Craigslist for cheap.

BOISE - Most of us have heard the phrase, "if it’s too good to be true, it probably is."

This saying couldn't be more accurate when it comes to fraudsters posing as realtors offering properties at an extremely reduced price.

This is a scam the Better Business Bureau is seeing a lot of as more newcomers look to call Boise home in a sellers’ market.

Local realtor David Fernandez recently listed a Boise home for a little over $300,000.

It's since been sold but before closing, Fernandez received a series of odd phone calls from eager renters, even though the house was for sale, not for rent.

"I have probably spoken to like 35 people off of this one ad," says Fernandez.

Thinking they had found a good deal for this home, in the historic Warm Springs neighborhood, the callers were ready to pay.

"I received phone calls from several parents actually that were helping their kids find their first rental and saying that their children had checks ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 money orders ready to send," says Fernandez.

After informing the callers his listing wasn't for rent, Fernandez found out someone had posted his photos of the house, uploaded them to Craigslist, hoping to swindle potential renters out of thousands.

"The Craigslist posting asked the potential renters to drive by the house, peek in the windows, and then if they were interested, send them a large sum of money in the mail because they were posing as someone out of state," says Fernandez.

"If they tell someone to drive by, the customer is going to drive by and see a for sale sign and think everything is legitimate," says Veronica Craker of the Better Business Bureau.

But in most cases, it's not.

Craker and Fernandez both say a realtor is going to want to show you the inside of the house.

"Ask to see the inside of the home, do more than just peek through the windows, say 'no I want a tour of the inside of the house.' If they are giving you an excuse for that then just walk away," says Craker.

"The three main red flags would be a seller or landlord posing as someone from out of state, asking for a large sum of money up front without reviewing a lease or signing an application, and further offering at a rental or sales level that is not in line with where the market is," adds Fernandez.

The posting has been taken down from Craigslist but because the BBB says this is a common scam.

So, be on guard when looking for your next place to call home.

"I hate seeing people being taken advantage of and losing out on their hard-earned money," says Fernandez.

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