Phony Landlords Scam Would-Be Renters

An increasingly common scam involves crooks posing as landlords for property they don’t own, taking a deposit from hopeful would-be tenants and then disappearing into the night with the money.

“What you have is primarily young, unsuspecting victims who truly believe they’re entering into a legitimate rental agreement,” said Adam Christianson, sheriff of Stanislaus County. “Before you know it, the real [property manager] shows up and says `Why are you here?’ Then they’re out on the street, and also out the money for first and last month’s rent and deposit.”

Legislators in the California Assembly have introduced a bill that would make impersonating a landlord in order to collect money a charge of felony grand theft.

Source: Associated Press (04/11/2010)