Vacant properties focus of rental scams

CLEVELAND, July 19 (UPI) -- A Cleveland woman says she was scammed out of thousands of dollars by a man taking advantage of current U.S. real estate struggles.

Essie Holiday said an individual who identified himself as Maxwell Johnson allegedly rented her a home without informing her it actually belonged to two brothers from Canton who had left the residence vacant while attempting to sell it, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported Saturday.

Cleveland Tenants Organization Executive Director Mike Peipsny said such rental scams have been increasing in frequency as the number of foreclosures nationwide has increased, creating vacant properties in most cities.

"A guy could break into an empty house, spend $10 to change the lock on the front door and end up taking $1,000 from someone," the non-profit organization official said. "Then the guy disappears."

Jim Kight, past president of the Rental Housing Association of Greater Portland in Oregon, said the increased demand for rentals in his city has led to similar scams.

"This rental market isn't hot; it's beyond that. It's steaming," he told The (Portland) Oregonian. "The sad part is that this kind of market opens it up for these kinds of scams."