A Craigslist rental
scam has reared its ugly head once again and the Indiana State Police is
warning Hoosiers to be mindful of their dealings.
According to
police, on Feb. 21 a Plainfield resident answered a Craigslist posting for a
rental home in Noblesville.
The woman, on
inquiring about the home’s availability, was notified by e-mail by an “Irene
Parrish” that it was. “Parrish” in turn asked the woman to complete an
application form, which she did. “Parrish” then told the woman to wire
$1,900Ñto cover rent and a refundable depositÑto Inglewood, Calif., where
“Parrish” said she now resided.
The woman duly
wired that amount from a Noblesville CVS.
Then, on Feb. 22,
the woman received another e-mail from “Parrish,” instructing her to wire an
additional $950 for an extra month’s rent. At this point the woman refused,
on the ground that she hadn’t yet received the keys to the house.
In fact she never
received those keys and subsequently learned that the house had actually
been sold by a realty company one week prior to the Craigslist posting.