Free-Rentals Vacation Rentals

There are essentially 2 main vacation rental scams.  Be aware of them and do whatever you need to do to protect yourself from them.
 
1) A fake “renter” contacts a real owner and requests to rent the property. The fake renter then sends a check to the owner as a security deposit to rent the property. But they write a check that exceeds the proper amount of security deposit. The fake renter then waits a few days until the owner cashes the check, then contacts the owner and says they overpaid, and pleads for a refund in the amount overpaid… usually by telling the owner to send the refund of the amount overpaid via Western Union, and usually to Nigeria or Central Africa. A few days later, the check that the fake renter from Nigeria gave you will bounce… and so you are out that money, and you are also out of the money you just sent them via Western Union. 
 
HERE is more information on this scam.
  
2) A fake “owner” will post their rental property on a rental property directory website such as www.free-rentals.com. However, the rental listing is a fake. Usually fake address, fake pictures, fake place. But the email and phone number will be real, so they get contacted. The rental seeking victim then contacts the fake owner and requests to book the place. Of course it’s available. The owner then requests a security depost and sends the contract. The renter sends a security deposit, then shows up but there’s no such place available for rent.
 
For this second type of scam, USUALLY the biggest barrier for the scammer is that they have to PAY to join a vacation rental directory website… Most sites are about $150 USD per year, usually too steep of a price for these such scammers. However, since Free-Rentals.com is free, it leaves us wide open for these kind of scammers to sign up and try to scam someone. So please be on the lookout and very careful of this type of scam when seeking a rental.

We do everything in our power to find and weed out such scammers, but we need your help. If you suspect any of these 2 scams on free-rentals.com, please contact the free-rentals.com staff immediately.

On July 19th 2007, I was tipped off by a member on the free-rentals.com of a scam, here is the message I got:

“Message: I checked the web site to see about possibly listing my NYC vacation rentals on your site. I believe that 2 of your listings are scams. The listing at 153 W 57th St lifted some phrases from my ads and some from other ads. There are no Golf courses in Manhattan. I do not believe there are any private outdoor pools in apartments, and a lot of other clues that this is a scam. The listing at 128 W 58th Street has a photo that was used in other scams that I am aware of and the name Thruman has been used in other scams. There are a lot of other clues that tell me that it is a scam. If you wish to contact me you can reach me at 212-xxx-xxxx. I am 80% booked for the year and not trying to get rid of competition. I am trying to clean up the industry to make it better for all of the honest VR owners.”
 
Before deleting the scam listings, I inquired on of f the properties to see how the scam works… here is how. 
 
Basically the scammers make up a phoney rental listing. For whatever reason, at least on the Free-Rentals.com website, they’ve been targeting the New York City Area. And the scammer users very simple addresses, and only uses 5 photos, of a plush looking apartment. All the pictures and details and directions and address are fake… all made up. 
 
The scammers then gets the renter interested to rent the property, then seeks a security deposit by paypal, check or wire transfer.
 
The unfortunate victim, the renter, pays a security deposit, then shows up in New York, but there’s no such place available for rent… it was all made up. Meanwhile, the scammer keeps the security deposit.
 
Be aware of such scams, and if you suspect one on Free-Rentals.com, Please notify us ASAP.