A new twist on rental home scams INDIANAPOLIS — A new twist on a rental scam is draining bank accounts across central Indiana. Heather James wanted to rent a house with her kids. “I wanted more room, more space, kids to run around in a yard, a neighborhood they can grow up in,” said J ames. James found a rental listing for an Indianapolis property on Facebook. “It looked real,” said James. “It looks legit.” James reached out on Facebook about the listing and got a text message from someone claiming to be a property owner. The “property owner” said the house was initially for sale, but the market hasn’t been the best, so they’re looking to rent it out instead. “I told them I would like to set up an appointment,” said James. But when it came time for the appointment, the “property owner” told James the house was no longer available. “But they had another property that was available as well for rent,” said James. Experts say to avoid rental scams, make sure to tour the property in person, which is what James did. “I was on the phone with the who I believe to be the owner of the place,” said James. The man instructed her to download the Opendoor app and enter a code to get inside. Opendoor is a legitimate online real estate company. “I fell absolutely in love with the place, and you know wanted to stated that after we viewed the house, I had told him that I wanted to move forward with you know going with ahead and renting it,” said James. James filled out an application and sent an $1,100 deposit through Chime, but says things started getting weird when they asked her for more money to cover utilities and maintenance. “I contacted Opendoor because they’re like, ‘We do not rent; we only sell,’” said James. “ Instant heartbreak, instant devastation. That was my way out. That was the next place that we were supposed to go to, and it got shattered.” James said not only was she out $1,100 but the scammers had a lot of her personal information. “It’s scary,” James said. Indiana’s I-Team contacted the Opendoor real estate broker, Shelby Farrar, who is listed on both the properties James looked at. “Opendoor does not rent homes,” said Farrar in an emailed statement.  “This property is listed exclusively for sale, and the individual you referenced has no affiliation with Opendoor. Our employees never request payment via Zelle, Venmo, or similar apps.” Scammers normally tell buyers to go on the Opendoor App, which legitimate buyers can use to self-tour homes. Opendoor has stickers posted warning people that their homes are not for rent. “Bad actors routinely scrape legitimate for-sale listings and pose as landlords,” said Farrar. “We proactively work against it. Our homes are clearly marked as not for rent, we post signage on properties stating they are not available for lease, and we maintain dedicated teams to detect, investigate, and report fraud when it’s identified.” Heather James said she never saw a sticker on her dream home, and suspects it was removed before her tour. The Better Business Bureau says in a new twist, scammers are getting people inside the home. “They’re finding new ways to get around it to seem more legitimate,” said BBB spokesperson Jennifer Adamamy. “They get your personal information, they get your money, and then they disappear.” The BBB says consider it a red flag if your landlord can’t meet you in person to tour a rental property or if they pressure you to make a decision quickly. “They’re trying to urgently get you to seal the deal on this rental agreement because they’re saying there’s a lot of other interest and it can be taken any moment,” said Adamany. Heather James contacted IMPD and the FBI but never got her $1,100 back. She’s working with Opendoor to hopefully buy her dream home. BBB tips Confirm the identity of the landlord. A legitimate landlord won’t hesitate to show their ID and allow a photo to be taken. Confirm the real property owner by checking county registers. Know local rental prices. If someone offers a great rental for an extremely low price, compare the same property in the same neighborhood and ask questions. See the property first. Never sign a lease or make a deposit without seeing the property in person first. Never wire money to a stranger. Don’t give in to a sob story. Once the wired cash is gone and the deal falls through, there is no way to get the money back. Legitimate landlords should always accept payment by check. Watch out for red flags. If a property has a “for sale” sign, but the “landlord” wants to rent, ask questions. It’s also suspicious to find a broken lockbox. Check local rental and sales listings. See if the property is on there before going to an open house. Use the services of a reputable rental agency. Find agents on BBB.org. ...read more read less