West suburban woman loses thousands in scam that targeted son's apartment sublease listing
LOMBARD, Ill. (WLS) -- A Lombard woman says she lost thousands of dollars in a scam that targeted her son's apartment sublease listing, highlighting what consumer advocates describe as a growing threat to landlords and people subleasing their properties.
Tracey Lemke said she posted her son's apartment sublease on a legitimate subleasing platform and quickly heard from a woman in Texas who expressed interest in renting the unit.
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According to Lemke, the prospective renter sent a check and then began asking for money to be sent elsewhere.
"I deposited the check like she asked me to, and then she started asking me to pay her bills, like her movers, and then pay this and pay that. And I'm like, 'wait a minute, this isn't right,'" Lemke said.
Lemke said the deal eventually fell apart because the prospective renter was unusually argumentative. After depositing the check, Lemke agreed to send about $4,000 back to the would-be renter through Zelle after cashing a check for a similar amount.
"Then a couple of hours later I looked at my bank account, and it was all negative because the check never really was legitimate," Lemke said.
Banks may initially clear checks before determining whether they are legitimate.
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After the check bounced, Lemke said she was shocked.
"You gotta be kidding me; I contacted the bank," she said.
Experts say that when cashing checks from strangers, it can take anywhere from two weeks to a month before a person knows whether a check has officially cleared.
Lemke said she later found online posts from other alleged victims who claimed to have dealt with the same would-be renter.
ABC7 Chicago tried to reach the alleged scammer, but the call did not connect.
The Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission have warned consumers about similar check scams targeting landlords and others who are subleasing apartments.
Landlords should be cautious of renters who are eager to send money without seeing a property or who fail to ask typical questions about a rental.
When possible, meeting prospective renters in-person or conducting a video call before completing a transaction could also be helpful.
