Five Money Scams to Watch Out for on Craigslist Little Rock

Craigslist is a favorite place for many people who are looking for a used car, truck or recreation vehicle. It's easy to use the site if you're buying and selling and it gets your ad exposure to tens of thousands of people. You can find a variety of used items for sale on the site in addition to vehicles. Some other things that are commonly offered for sale by private parties are electronics, farm equipment, pets and supplies, appliances, furniture and much more. The site used to be relatively safe to use but n recent years the amount of scam activity has increased dramatically. Here are five money scams that you need to keep an eye out for on Craigslist Little Rock.

1. Homeowner victim of Craigslist rental scam

A woman from Little Rock was shocked when she saw the condo she owned offered for rent on Craigslist. She was selling the home on a different site. The scammer had stolen her information and posted a fake rental ad. She contacted him to learn more. He asked for private information on the rental application. The scammer even sends a fake driver's license that has been stolen. The scammer also asks for banking information including checking and routing numbers along with birth date, name and other information that can lead to identity theft. She reported it to Craigslist but the fake ad was not taken down so renters beware.

2. Entergy job scam on Craigslist

Scammers are posting a job opportunity on Little Rock Craigslist. They're using the Entergy Utility company's information to carry out their vile scam. They lure unsuspecting victims into the scam by offering them pay to complete several tasks that are illegal. They come up with an excuse why they can't meet with you. After being hired, you are sent a check and it is supposed to be used for the purchase of furniture for an office or for training expenses for you. After the check arrives you are to deposit it into your bank account and then get the cash and wire it to another party to pay for furniture or training. After you wire the money, within a few days your bank notifies you that the check is fake and you are held responsible for the entire amount plus bank fees. The scammer is long gone by the time that you discover you've been ripped off.

3. Housing scam on Craigslist Little Rock

Here is yet another rental scam that showed up on Craigslist in the Little Rock area. The scammer has posted a 2 bedroom 2 bath home for rent. He asks you to do a background check and complete an application with personal and financial information. This scam has been taking thousands of dollars out of people's bank accounts.

4. Phishing scam on Craigslist in Little Rock

This is a scam that involves posting a fake ad for a rental property just to get victims to submit their personal information on an application. A woman in Arkansas was shocked when people started knocking on the door of the home that she's lived in for the past 13 years. They inform her that her home is listed for rent on Craigslist. She never posted it for rent, but she did list it for sale. In some cases the scammers are attempting to sell it for half the listed price, in other cases, they offer it for rent. In all cases, they are obtaining information from the renters to use it for identity theft.

5. Pets for sale scam on Craigslist

Here's another scam that you need to be on the lookout for. Scammers are advertising pets for sale on the site. A Denver couple make the trip from their home to Little Rock to pick up three puppies that they bought online, but when they were halfway into the trip they received a phone call asking them to pick up a Walmart gift card. She didn't comply and when they arrived the house was dark. They tried to call again and again with no answer. The case was turned over to the Little Rock Police Department, the Better Business Bureau and the Arkansas Attorney General. The couple had sent the scammer $750 for the dogs.