That’s the warning being given by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office and real estate agents to potential renters who could be caught up in a costly con game.
District Attorney David Paulson says that multiple cases of rental fraud have been reported recently from Vallejo to Vacaville, leaving unsuspecting house renters without cash or a place to live.
Here’s how the scam works:
A con artist identifies a vacant, possibly foreclosed, home that hasn’t yet been placed back on the market. He or she surreptitiously has the locks changed on the home, then advertises the residence for rent on Craig’s List or at a similar online site.