A real estate scam has made its way to Oklahoma, with at least two cases reported so far.
The Oklahoma Association of Realtors says people are listing foreclosed properties on Craigslist as rentals.
"They'll typically say, 'Go over and take a look at it, drive by, look in windows, and if you like it, send me a $300 or $500 or $1,000 deposit,'" said association President-elect Pete Galbraith. "Turns out the person they're sending the money to is not the owner. It's not the bank."
It reminds Galbraith of a Tulsa-based scam a few years ago where a man had the locks changed on foreclosed homes and rented them out.
"These were houses that were foreclosed upon and belonged to a bank, and he was accepting rents and taking the rent money and blowing it," Galbraith said.
To avoid the new scam, Galbraith said don't send money to someone you haven't met in person, work with people who are local or who will at least answer your phone call, and don't send rental deposits through wire transfers or services like Western Union.
The realtors association also recommends thoroughly researching any listings, paying close attention to things like addresses, names and companies mentioned.
