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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Police, Realtors warn of rental scam ... University of Oregon students, faculty, staff rally to back Mizzou students ... Wyden bill aims to ease recreation access ... Police, Realtors warn of rental scam ... University of Oregon students, faculty, staff rally to back Mizzou students ... Wyden bill aims to ease recreation access ... Police, Realtors warn of rental scam Scammer takes Craigslist posts from houses for sale to create fake rental listings By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Nov. 13, 2015 @ 12:45 pm By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Nov. 13, 2015 @ 12:45 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> A scam on Craigslist targets people seeking to rent a home in the Rogue Valley where the rental market is tight. According to real estate agents Patti Davis and Tara Jacobi, who listed a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home at 1443 Ridgepine Way in southwest Medford, a scammer has copied the photos and description of the home they list at $179,900 with Keller Williams of Medford to create an ad for a rental property well below market rates. The scam listing has been pulled, but a reply post informing rental seekers that the property is not for rent shows the newer property that allows pets advertised for $800 a month. "The people are so excited," Davis said speaking of potential victims who called the agents. "They see it and say, 'Oh my gosh, I want to rent this house.'" The fake rental post claims to come from a property owner who has to relocate to Texas and is offering reduced rent because the owner wants someone to take care of the home. Davis and Jacobi said the scammer searches property records to find the owner's name and poses as that person. The scammer even creates a fake email address using the owner's name, they said. "Whoever's doing this is very aggressive," Davis said. In a Facebook post, Medford police warned that the scammers can be convincing when they ask potential renters to send them deposits in exchange for keys. Police advise always walking through a potential rental property and confirming ownership before handing over money. A quick search for "Texas" in the rentals on Medford Craigslist shows another post highlighting a similar scam listing for a 2006-built 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in Central Point for $970 a month. Southern Oregon Rental Owners Association pegged the region's vacancy rate about 2 percent this summer. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Nov. 13, 2015 @ 12:45 pm » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501