Identity stolen after Craigslist rental scam

By Sam Smink & Ethan Logue

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    WEST SUFFIELD, Connecticut (WFSB) — A three bed, three bath in West Suffield seemed like the perfect rental for Jennifer Pawlak. She found it on Craigslist for $1500 a month.

“Of course, I thought that was, it was a bargain, and you go for it.” Said Pawlak.

After connecting with the poster, Pawlak was asked to fill out an application.

“Everything about me,” said Pawlak. “My license, my social, my taxes, the whole nine yards.”

Shortly after she sent the paperwork back.

“They tried to open up a credit card under my name. Like that weekend, said Pawlak. “I had my identity stolen. My credit is frozen for a year.”

The I-team found the same home Pawlak was trying to rent on Craigslist for sale on Zillow.

“You don’t want to look anymore because you don’t know whose real, whose fake and i don’t know, it’s hard, it’s really hard.” Pawlak said.

The realtor for the home tells us Pawlak had not been speaking with the real property owner.

It’s something John Zubretsky, a realtor in the greater Hartford area says, is all too common.

“That’s where a lot of these red flags scams start,” Zubretsky said. “They take a vacant house that’s for sale, impersonate the landlord and post it for rent and hope that people send them deposit money via PayPal or Venmo.”

He says, in his opinion, you’re better off staying away from Craigslist in the first place.

“For sure Craigslist is probably the leading source of rental scams, said Zubretsky. “Just this morning I went on and out of 25 rentals I saw in the greater Hartford area, I identified 15 of them as definite scams.”

So how can you spot a scam? Zubrestky says if the price seems too cheap, that’s usually the first sign.

“This is a three bedroom, 17 hundred square feet with 2 whole baths for 977,” says Zubretsky. “Price wise, if it’s too good to be true, stay away.”

Zubretsky also advises never send money without first touring the property,and avoid using apps like Venmo or PayPal.

Pawlak was even asked to use a prepaid card at one point.

As for filling out an application before touring a place? Just don’t give too much information away.

“If they ask for your name, your current address; things that are public knowledge anyway, how many people would be living there, do you have any pets, do you smoke? Things like that are okay to say,” Zubresky states. “But driver’s license numbers, social security numbers and any personal information can be avoided.”

That advice could have saved Pawlak.

But she says, as she continues on her search, she’s gotten better at spotting red flags.

“When you have friends and family who say it’s too good to be true, listen to them. Go on Facebook, go on Google, do your research.” Pawlak says.

All things she’s now paying attention too, and hopes you’ll do the same.

“Like even if you’re in a time of need, don’t try to be as vulnerable as you want to be because you need something,” said Pawlak.

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