Fake home listings are costing metro Atlanta renters thousands, experts warn

The Better Business Bureau says scammers are targeting renters and unsuspecting home sellers through sophisticated online schemes that have grown a lot over the years.

Experts say advances in artificial intelligence, fake listings, and online platforms are making scams appear more legitimate and putting consumers at risk during some of the biggest financial transactions of their lives.

What seemed like a blessing quickly became a nightmare for Jerelyn Charleston.

"I thought it was a blessing," Charleston said.

Charleston said she is now out of thousands of dollars after falling victim to what authorities say is an increasingly common rental scam.

"I'm unhomed. I am out of money," she said.

Charleston said she lost $3,200 trying to rent a home in College Park.

She found what appeared to be a legitimate rental listing online and even toured the property.

"I asked, 'Could I tour the house?' He said, 'Sure.' He gave me the address. I went to the home. He gave me a code. I entered the house. I looked through it," Charleston described.

Everything appeared legitimate until move-in day.

"I paid him $3,200. The day I was going to move in and go through the walkthrough, he never showed. I called, and I was blocked," she said.

Joshua Hares with the Better Business Bureau says rental scams are becoming more common as fraudsters use technology to make fake listings appear real.

He said scammers exploit online platforms by stealing photos and information from legitimate real estate listings, creating convincing fake advertisements and building trust with potential victims.

"Many people think because there's so much information, because I'm able to see all these different photos and visit the home, it must be legit," Hares explained.

The Better Business Bureau reports it has received multiple reports this year of renters losing hundreds and, in other cases, thousands of dollars to rental scams.

Last year alone, consumers reported losing more than $3 million to real estate scams in the metro Atlanta area.

Hares says scammers often target lower-income communities where people are searching for affordable housing.

According to the BBB, scammers often obtain property access codes from home sellers who may not realize they're being manipulated. They then give those codes to prospective renters, collect deposits for homes they do not own, and disappear before move-in day.

"Through the use of AI, they're able to do things much faster. They're using AI agents on phone calls when you call to see if you can get ahold of somebody and showing up as that property manager," said Hares.

After weeks of uncertainty, Charleston recently found another place to live.

She hopes sharing her story can prevent someone else from becoming the next victim.

"I don't understand how someone could be so heartless and play that game because it was a game all along," said Charleston.

The Better Business Bureau recommends consumers:

• Verify property ownership using public tax records.
• Compare listings across multiple websites and watch for differences in pricing, photos, or contact information.
• Make sure application and payment websites use a secure connection (HTTPS).
• Never send deposits before independently verifying the property owner or management company.