Local man trying to rent home gets caught in scam | Crime

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Tough times could be the reason why people across the country are falling victim to scams and Wilmington residents are no exception.

Duane Ingram is speaking out about the scam he recently got involved in without even trying. Just two days after he posted his rental home on Craiglist.com, someone else was trying to cash in on his home.

"You hear about it, but you never think it's going to happen to you, so it was kind of a shock," said Ingram. Ingram's old tenant came across a listing on Zillow.com while surfing the web for her new home.

It immediately caught her eye.

"She knew right away it was a scam," said Ingram. "She knew what she was paying for it and she knew the number out of New York wasn't right and so it was obvious to her."

The ad on Zillow had the same pictures and information regarding Ingram's home as the one he originally posted on Craigslist.

"They had a lot better price for rent," said Ingram. "It was just too good to be true."

Zillow has since taken down the page. Local law enforcement stressed that people looking to rent should do their research before sending any money.

Ingram's house is still up for rent on Craiglist. He intends to keep an eye on other websites to make sure the same thing doesn't happen.

Ingram did report the scam to the Federal Fraud Administration.

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