TULSA, Okla. — As you begin planning your family vacations for fall break and the holidays, watch out for scammers who may have you on their sites.
Especially if you’re shopping around for a vacation rental property.
The Federal Trade Commission has these warnings when booking a rental.
Never deal in cash, wire transfers, or gift cards.
Don’t provide confidential info that can be used for identity theft.
Consider renting from legitimate property management companies instead of individuals.
And beware of too-good-to-be-true rent rates.
Unfortunately, some of the same tactics scammers use to target vacationers target helpless, homeless victims, as well.
And, of course, the fallout of the schemes poses a much more serious threat to those earnestly searching for a place just to rest their head.
Case in point is the story of a young homeless woman in Tulsa who must fend off potential scammers as she searches for a place to call home.
It starts with Katye Owens showing us a photo of her holding her youngest brother just days after he was born.
During those precious days, there became a bond, Katye says, that would bind them together, even as they found themselves growing up together in foster care.
At least, Katye says, until she made a disastrous decision years later.
“I abandoned him, and now I don’t get that time back.”
Katye says it was a life-changing choice to bolt.
“You can’t go back, so you try to make him proud, right?”
But choices can be cruel, as can the passage of time.
Right up until the day Brenden, her little brother, passed away.
He was only 21 years old.
“He was taken way too early, and his life wasn’t fair.”
And it took Brenden’s death, Kayte says, to shock her soul, to transform her life.
She’s the first to tell you she allowed a decade of destruction to take her down.
Mental health issues, she says, led to drug abuse and homelessness.
“I finally mustered up enough courage to try to pull myself back out of it.”
Katye’s been trying to find a place to live through public housing.
But working through the system is a long haul, she says, a long wait.
“It’s stressful,” Katye tells us.
Stress, which scammers can exploit.
The Federal Trade Commission warns crooks set up fake, legit-looking websites that look like waiting list lotteries.
Those scammers ask for fees and your personal information, only to keep your money and then disappear.
They also may give your personal information to identity thieves.
In another twist, some fake sites list Section 8 and other properties that supposedly are available.
They promise you can rent one if you pay the first month’s rent by wire transfer or a prepaid card.
The properties might exist, but the ads are fakes placed by scammers.
If you pay, you just lose your money and, again, possibly your identity.
And victims also often lose the chance to be on the actual waiting list.
Those scammers, folks like Katye say, are cold-hearted and ruthless for targeting those who are already down and out.
“I’ve been righting for my own place for a long time. I’ve been on the streets for a long time.”
So, as Katye moves on with an uncertain life after her brother’s untimely death… she’s determined more than ever to transform her grief into grit.
“I want him to live through me.”
Katye vows never to give up.
“The only peace I find with it is the thought that he’s still with me, and I don’t want him to live on the streets with me.”
A bond with her brother, once broken, Katye vows, will forever be unbendable, even unbreakable.
“I want him to see me succeed.”
Here is a complete list of things to consider when looking for a rental for vacation and, more importantly, for those who need help in finding a home.
• Never deal in cash.
• Never rent sight-unseen.
• Don’t provide confidential info that can be used for identity theft.
• Meet the landlord in person.
• Speak with the current tenants.
• Conduct basic research.
• Be aware of too-good-to-be-true rent rates.
• Be wary of high-pressure sales tactics.
• Be wary of landlords who request little info about you.
• Demand a written lease.
• Ensure the written lease identifies the owner or management company.
• Consider renting from property management companies.
Contact the Problem Solvers:
- 918-748-1502
- problemsolvers@kjrh.com
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