VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A landlord and four residents of a home fell victim to a possible scam after someone re-rented out the rooms under false pretenses of owning the property.
People looking for a place to rent thought the man they were paying was the real landlord. As it turns out, he was just renting it. The realtor who owns the property calls this a warning for prospective renters.
Demolition work is underway at the four-bedroom home in Virginia Beach. Realtor Dee Carstens rented the property in late 2023. Rent was paid on time, at first, but around December, rent stopped coming and communication stopped. Carstens believes she was the victim of a scam.
“Fortunately, it only took me two months,” Carstens said. “Some people, this can happen a lot longer.”
With no rent paid for two months, she gave the man until January to vacate. She stopped by in February to found locks placed on individual bedroom doors, and four strangers living inside. They were surprised to see Carstens, and even more surprised to hear she was the actual owner of the property.