Family’s dream rental home turns out to be a scam

CORNELUS, Ore. (KOIN) — Con artists are taking advantage of the tight housing market by posting rental ads online for homes that aren’t theirs — and then stealing security deposits.

One family nearly fell for the scam, but realized it was a con just in the nick of time.

“You just think that everyone, you now, not everyone is bad,” said Chrissi Parker.

Parker thought she found the perfect home for her husband, their newborn and herself. A 2-story, 3-bedroom house in Cornelius that rents for $900 a month.

“We were just like, we really want this house, this would be great! It’s enough room, it’d be a great place to raise our son.”

After finding the listing on Craigslist, Parker contacted who she thought was the homeowner. That person asked her to fill out some forms and send a $2,000 security deposit via Walmart money gram, even though she had never met them.

Parker asked to meet the lister in person, but they claimed to be in Texas on a religious mission trip. That’s when Parker knew something was fishy.

“I went on the money gram website and it said, be careful of people you don’t know and all these possible scams that are happening,” Parker said. “I feel kind of silly for, you know, even thinking that I would send that kind of money. Knowing that it’s a scam now but it was too close.”

Parker hopes her story will prevent others from becoming victims.