The Brief
- A Facebook Marketplace rental listing turned out to be an elaborate scam, stripping a young mother of her cash and home in Mableton.
- The victim discovered the house was actually owned by Opendoor, whose security along with police officers showed up when motion sensors went off.
- Opendoor warned that tech-savvy fraudsters frequently duplicate legitimate listings to deceive those looking for homes.
MABLETON, Ga. – A Mableton mother faces an emergency relocation after falling victim to an intricate rental scam that cost her deposit and rent money.
Rental fraud
What we know:
Natalie Turner discovered a Mableton home listed on Facebook Marketplace and contacted the person who posted it. When she arrived for a tour, a man walked her through an app over the phone to grant her entry, demonstrating an expert understanding of the process. Despite seeing a sign stating “this house is not for rent,” Turner accepted the man’s explanation that he decided to rent it after it sat on the market for sale for six months.
The scammer sent a highly professional lease agreement and even completed requested repairs on the property. Turner transferred her rent and deposit through Zelle, but she found the door locked when she arrived to move in with her baby and dog. After entering through the back door, she realized the man had blocked her phone number. She says she called 911, only for emergency dispatchers to inform her the situation was a civil matter. Opendoor security and four police officers arrived 48 hours later. When Turner pulled out her lease, they explained she had been scammed and told her to contact Opendoor.
Opendoor Fraud Investigation
What we don’t know:…