Special offer
Bob Crane,  Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671 (Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified)

Spam prevention
Rainmaker
5,104,806
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Not sure this is easily done...wouldn't know where to start. Stopped using Craigslist more years ago than I can count.

Jun 05, 2019 11:11 AM
Rainmaker
4,571,456
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

I haven't been involved in any type of Craigslist scamming activity where involvement of law enforcement would be necessary.  

Jun 05, 2019 11:47 AM
Rainmaker
2,390,010
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

No experience prosecuting here Bob Crane even though I have had a couple of my listings scammed on CL.

Jun 05, 2019 01:31 PM
Rainmaker
2,220,323
Anthony Acosta - ALLATLANTAcondos.com
Harry Norman, REALTORS® - Atlanta, GA
Associate Broker

Hi Bob, I found this on line, don't know if it would help.  Check it out.

https://www.wikihow.com/Report-Fraud-on-Craigslist#Reporting_to_Local_Law_Enforcement_sub

Jun 05, 2019 12:10 PM
Ambassador
2,060,946
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Noah Seidenberg had a similar issue... he had to hire a legal firm, at great expense... they tracked down the offender through his isp, he turned out to be located in Canada, and received a judgement against him.

He has yet to collect.

Jun 05, 2019 11:43 AM
Rainmaker
7,834,939
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Good luck!

Your local consumer protection office may be able to help.

Jun 05, 2019 10:48 AM
Rainer
509,449
Susie Kay
Ultra Real Estate Dallas Fort Worth - Plano, TX
North Dallas Specialist

I have no idea but I think it will be hard.

Jun 05, 2019 02:07 PM
Rainer
19,442
Julio Vasiu
IXACT Contact - North York, ON
IXACT Contact a ‘next generation’ real estate CRM

One time my mom called me crying because the "Revenue Agency", told her to send in a cheque of $5k to pay for her taxes, otherwise she would be arrested within 2 hours. lol (OVB a SCAM.)

Anyways, I called the guys, and then I called the NON-EMERGENCY POLICE number to report them, so other people did not fall for the SCAM. This was the polices response.

"We are actually aware of this. We are receiving a lot of phone calls about this but we can't tap their phones or do anything about it because it is AN INVASION OF THIR PRIVACY".

Jun 05, 2019 12:56 PM
Rainmaker
1,310,972
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

First you have to identify them. Report to local law enforcement. If no one has been harmed, there is probably little interest by law enforcement.

Jun 05, 2019 12:39 PM
Ambassador
3,587,835
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Good luck getting  Craigs list to get back to you about a spammer. We tried but it never went anywhere.

Jun 05, 2019 11:58 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

The only time I've see justice imposed is when the most prominent advertiser on CL gets a bite.

Who is the biggest advertiser on Craigslist in Pinellas County FL. The Pinellas County Sheriffs Dept.

For the others, their money is GONE.

Jun 05, 2019 11:26 AM
Ambassador
5,228,997
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Bob, you don't have to ever have marketed there to be hit with the CL scammers! This happens quite often! 

Either notify your police department or I have found that going directly to the Secretary of State works well. You can also log a DOJ complaint online.

Good luck!

Jun 05, 2019 09:14 PM
Rainmaker
1,725,896
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Jun 05, 2019 08:41 PM
Rainmaker
1,502,848
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Ok, so I had a rental copied and pasted onto criagslist from zillow, including all my realbird branded photos with my name, contact info, etc. (talk about idiot crooks).  I found out because someone drove by the house and called me from my sign.

 

I reported it to craigslist via the report button and it was removed immediately.  Prior to that, I took screenshots and printed them out.  I then called the cops on the non-emergency line (because this was the second listing hit by this in two weeks).  The cop who arrived, a cop I had worked with for a few years, told me basically "no crime was committed against me, but he would take it to the cyber guys in the morning and see if there was anything they could do."  That was the last I heard of it.  Did they track them down with search warrants?  Dunno.  Did they call and pose as renters on a sting operation?  Dunno.

Jun 05, 2019 06:00 PM
Ambassador
2,178,433
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

I used to love CL but it's so full of scammers now I stay away. If you're a listing agent, though, I know you have to watch to be sure your listings aren't being highjacked as fake rental listings.

Jun 05, 2019 05:49 PM
Rainmaker
757,885
Peter Testa
Nationwide Homes - Danbury, CT
PETER TESTA

I don't think local police will be able to help much. Apparently the FBI will have a listening ear https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety

Jun 05, 2019 05:07 PM
Rainer
417,071
Caroline Gerardo
Licensed in 20 states - Newport Beach, CA
C. G. Barbeau the Loan Lady nmls 324982

Post the scammers name, phone number, address, photo of his mug shot and car. We can all call him and drive him crazy

Jun 05, 2019 03:00 PM
Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

I have never used Craiglist with all the bad reviews about them....

Jun 05, 2019 02:36 PM
Ambassador
3,125,255
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

So much of this is happening right now and it is despicable. Here is an article that may help Bob Cranehttps://www.wikihow.com/Report-Fraud-on-Craigslist 

Jun 05, 2019 12:33 PM
Rainmaker
1,844,171
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

It's pretty tough. We had someone years ago get tracked down by his IP address & was taken to the board years ago. But that was for saying other agents listings were his.

I want to be more positive than just saying lost cause. Get someone that's internet saavy to get the guy.  So someone in 2nd grade & up. 

Jun 05, 2019 11:41 AM
Rainmaker
2,071,025
Evelina Tsigelnitskaya
SIB Realty - Sunny Isles Beach, FL

Was lucky, never happened to me.

Jun 05, 2019 06:16 PM
Rainmaker
1,598,452
Valeria Mola
SIB Realty - Miami, Sunny Isles Beach - Sunny Isles Beach, FL
305-607-0709 SIB Realty Condos for Sale and Rent

No, lucky me, never.

Jun 05, 2019 04:52 PM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Bob,

We stay off Craig's list. Good luck, I have no idea what the SB folks would do.  A

Jun 05, 2019 01:09 PM
Ambassador
3,344,906
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

I imagine it depends.  I have no experience with it. 

Jun 06, 2019 07:58 AM
Rainmaker
901,187
Carla Freund
Keller Williams Preferred Realty - Raleigh, NC
NC Real Estate Transition & Relocation 919-602-848

I've not heard of anyone having success with this. I do think it falls under cyber security. This has been going on for so long now and its a shame nothing can be done.

Jun 06, 2019 04:52 AM
Rainmaker
4,881,462
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

Not sure; however, to start, I would propably call the county DA's office.

Jun 06, 2019 02:29 AM
Ambassador
5,048,708
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Guess I would start with the local police to see what they say. Our police here report on scammers (IRS, Social Security, Medicare) and provide alerts often.

Jun 05, 2019 08:46 PM
Ambassador
3,854,786
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

 

I've written about this lately and discussed it on my radio show. Four different calls on the same property...opportunity to rent at a low rate. They get you to put your money up front before a buyer has the chance It Is a SCAM. Let's all make the public aware so they don't get more "victims"

Jun 05, 2019 08:11 PM
Rainer
378,367
Don Baker
Lane Realty - Eatonton, GA
Lake Sinclair Specialist

It's pretty much impossible because they are typically in Nigeria.  

Jun 07, 2019 08:46 AM
Ambassador
2,670,013
MichelleCherie Carr Crowe .Just Call. 408-252-8900
Get Results Team...Just Call (408) 252-8900! . DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985 . Altas Realty - San Jose, CA
Family Helping Families Buy & Sell Homes 40+ Years

Craigslist is not able to help-they can only take down the fake ad. Keep your County's Real Estate Fraud unit phone number on speed dial. Get them involved first so they have a little time to try to trap and catch the fraudsters. If ad is removed, and especially if you just call them yourself to confront, they just move on to the next victim. 

Jun 06, 2019 11:31 AM
Rainer
117,135
Christine Kankowski North SD and Temecula
House Match Inc - Poway, CA
Excellent Sales and Property Management

I've been trying to get our association legal team to push Craigslist to help fight the scammers .   At the moment, Craigslist does absolutely nothing to prevent, or even take down fraudulent postings.  I've had 2 potential tenants in the past few months wire in deposits to a scammer...  Scammer had fake ID of owners name.  Pretty legit looking, but of course, people shouldn't ever send money before being let in the property to see it.  

Jun 06, 2019 10:33 AM
Rainmaker
716,049
Richard Bazinet /MBA, CRS, ABR
West USA Realty - Scottsdale, AZ
Phoenix Scottsdale. Sellers, Buyers & Relocations

Some time ago, I had a scammer duplicate my listings. I filed a local police report, when they investigated, the scammer was from Malaysia. Then it was good luck with this one...

Jun 06, 2019 07:46 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,013
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

I find not interacting with these sites helpful...

Jun 06, 2019 06:38 AM
Rainmaker
1,239,801
Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

I think Mr Craig Newmark created a problem by not wanting to charge his site. The problem will decrease if there are fees involved. 

Jun 06, 2019 06:07 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

When I had a listing spoofed, it showed up on CL as a rental. I only found out when the police called that there was 3 people trying to move in the same home. The neighbors called the police. My sign was in the front so they called me. I got there quickly and thank heaven no one got inside my vacant home. It was an estate sale, it was vacant and certainly not for rent. These 3 families wired money to a scammer. WHy they thought they could rent a home sight unseen for 800 month when the home would rent for 2000 mo. How did they not see this coming. The police though, would not take a report from me. They even balked at taking reports from those who lost money. NOW in al my vacant homes i post from the inside that this house is NOT for rent. 

Jun 06, 2019 05:45 AM
Rainmaker
5,215,388
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Noah Seidenberg spent loads of money to obtain a judgement gainst a scammer and will likely never collect. Tough situation.

Jun 06, 2019 05:17 AM
Rainmaker
1,543,225
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

I can't get into the details here, but it involves a baseball bat, blow torch, shovel and a 20lb sack of lime.  We prosecute Italian style.

Jun 05, 2019 09:17 PM
Rainmaker
5,868,372
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Have not had any experience with this, and like Nina, stopped using them years ago.

Jun 20, 2019 10:39 AM
Rainmaker
613,494
Eve Alexander
Buyers Broker of Florida - Tampa, FL
Exclusively Representing ONLY Tampa Home Buyers

In Florida, that is too far down on the list of priorities for any law enforcement to be interested...

Eve

Jun 08, 2019 03:07 PM