Is your home being used by burglars?

Houston – Imagine seeing your house for rent without your permission. It happened to Camila Guerrero.

“It was horrible, I was mortified,” she said.

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Guerrero says that in recent months five different couples have come to her house saying that they had already paid the rent for the property.

“They were very upset because they had already paid the money in advance,” he said.

The last couple to visit the house showed him the ad they were responding to: a photo of their house, with their address posted on Craigslist.

It was listed as a short term rental for $1,500 a month after a $500 deposit.

“So if they come here and they’ve paid for the whole month, plus the deposit, they’ve paid $2,000,” he explained.

Unfortunately this is not uncommon in Houston.

Houston real estate agent Kristen Schmidt says these fake listings pop up all the time.

“Zillow, Craiglist, realtor.com, people can go and list a house anytime they want, whether it’s theirs or not,” he said.

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She says that, according to the FBI, rental scams have increased after the pandemic.

“Since the pandemic, Texans have paid $32 million more per year than they did before the pandemic. So we’re seeing these issues pop up so frequently now,” he said.

She says the worst part is that if someone pays money to a thief posing as a homeowner, they are unlikely to get the money back.

She says to avoid becoming a victim, the best practice is to hire a real estate agent to help you find a rental. But if you’re looking alone, beware of red flags.

These warning signs include:

– A post that seems “too good to be true”

– An owner who does not meet in person

-A landlord who doesn’t show you the property in person

-A landlord who asks for payment in advance without meeting

She also recommends avoiding paying rental fees by wire transfer and using a check or credit card instead.

She also recommends checking the Harris County appraisal website to verify who owns a property before moving forward.

“I think this is a real problem right now and we need to come together and speak out,” Guerrero said.