by Teresa
Landlords, have you ever been the victim of a scam pulled off by a “professional tenant?” There are always a few lurking around in the shadows. We’ve heard a few stories lately about landlords who have suffered losses because they unknowingly fell victim to a pro.
Jeff is a new landlord who recently arranged with a couple to lease a rental unit he owns. They wrote a check for the first month’s rent and security deposit, which Jeff deposited into his account. A week later, they cancelled the lease because their employer was transferring them out of state. They asked for a refund. Jeff refunded the full amount, only to discover the original check was written on a non-existent account. It was counterfeit. The couple flew the coop and Jeff is out nearly $1300.
Banks don’t typically place holds on every check, so Jeff assumed it had cleared the bank with no problem.
One way to avoid this scam: Ask for the first month’s rent and security deposit in cash. That would have sent these two packing.
A better solution: Run a thorough tenant screening on every applicant. Check their credit history and criminal history. Call previous landlords and their current employer. Remember: scammers do their best work when no questions are asked.
Another story is about a famous scam where the tenant moves into an apartment and proceeds to trash the place. Or he just stops paying rent. He then waits for the eviction notice or sues the landlord for unsafe housing. He’s an expert at stretching out the judicial process though filing complaints, asking for judge recusals and causing postponements. In the meantime, landlords are racking up massive attorney’s fees, he’s living rent-free for months or years, and usually the court decides in his favor.
The only way to avoid this type of tenant scam is through tenant screening. One of the victims of this scammer admitted she didn’t check with any of his previous landlords before renting him an apartment.
Protect yourself, your business and your wallet by keeping your guard up, trusting no one you don’t know, and running a tenant background check on every prospective tenant.
Source: tenantscreening
