WEST ASHLEY SC (WCSC) - A West Ashley homeowner catches onto a scheme after a man tries to rent out her home.

The woman, who doesn't want to be identified, says she was alerted about the scheme when a potential renter reached out to her on Facebook. She says the ad raised some red flags.

"The rental price was very low, and it was an out-of-state number. The only communication she had with this person was via text. They wouldn't answer the phone."

The false ad was put on Trulia.com, complete with interior photos of her home, a rental price of $800 per month and a Wisconsin contact number.

"I decided to text this person as though I was interested in renting the house, and I've had I believe about 30 different texts back-and-forth with this person."

He tells her the home is "immediately available" and that she should send $1500 in cash, via Western Union, to his wife in Wisconsin. When she asks if she can see the home, he tells her to take a drive by it and that he will mail her the key.

"He says he's in Wisconsin. He could be just around the corner. I don't know. He could be in another country."

Live5News also called the number, but it went to voicemail. The woman says she's never run into something like this before.

"It has been a learning experience, a very negative learning experience, but it's just the web is out there, and there's people out there abusing it."

Source: http://www.live5news.com/story/25559432/man-tries-to-rent-out-west-ashley-home-owner-catches-onto-scheme

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