A fraudster collected cash from victims after breaking into a home for sale and posing as the landlord. RPD's Economic Crimes Unit fields 4-5 similar reports monthly.
Rental Scam Targets Riverside Home, Victims Out $6,500
A fraudster collected cash from victims after breaking into a home for sale and posing as the landlord. RPD's Economic Crimes Unit fields 4-5 similar reports monthly.
A home on Elsinore Road was targeted in a rental scam where a fraudster broke in, changed the locks, and posed as the landlord. Inset: Fake lease documents show $3,500 in cash payments collected from victims who believed they were legitimately renting the property. (Inset courtesy James Monks/Tower Agency)
A brazen rental scam has left at least one Riverside resident out thousands of dollars after a fraudster posed as a landlord and collected cash for a property that wasn't available for rent.
James Monks, a realtor with Tower Agency, discovered Saturday that someone had broken into a vacant home he was selling near Poly High School, changed the locks, and fraudulently rented it to unsuspecting tenants who paid $6,500 in cash.
"They break in or use a realtor to get inside, leave a window or door unlocked, come back later and pose as the owner or property manager," Monks said, describing the scam's typical pattern.
The scammer gained access to the property on Elsinore Road through a damaged side window sometime Friday, October 10. When Monks arrived Saturday afternoon to show the home to a legitimate buyer, he found the locks had been rekeyed.
Inside the kitchen cabinet, the fraudster had left behind lease agreements and three receipts totaling $6,500 in cash payments. The documents listed "Terry Greenway" of Newport Beach as the landlord.
According to Monks, a neighbor reported seeing the scammer conducting the transaction in person. The property was never legitimately available for rent—only for sale.
Monks said he has not heard from the victims.
According to Monks, the property's seller was instructed to file a report with Riverside Police Department. However, RPD Officer Ryan Railsback said Wednesday the department has not yet received a report regarding the incident.
Railsback said the department's Economic Crimes Unit receives about four to five similar rental scam reports each month. He noted the problem extends far beyond Riverside.
"In most cases, the suspects are located outside the United States and use various methods to make victims believe they're operating from within the country," Railsback said. "This type of scam has been circulating for roughly 10 to 15 years, and the FBI regularly issues warnings and guidance, noting that rental and real estate scams continue to be a widespread national issue."
Victims should file reports with local police and the FBI at www.ic3.gov, where reports are collected nationwide to identify patterns and coordinate investigations.
Warning Signs for Renters
Railsback emphasized one critical precaution: "Never send money through cash-transfer apps such as Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App when dealing with strangers or potential landlords. These platforms are intended for sending funds to trusted family or friends, and transactions are extremely difficult to trace or recover."
He advised renters to watch for common red flags.
To protect against scams:
Never pay cash or use money transfer apps for rentals with strangers
Verify property ownership through public records
Look up businesses independently and call verified numbers, not those provided by the contact
Ask for identification from anyone claiming to be an owner or property manager
Check if a person is a licensed real estate agent through the California Department of Real Estate
Be suspicious of below-market rent prices or pressure for same-day decisions
Finalize contracts and payments in person after confirming the property and person's identity
Vacant properties are particularly vulnerable to this type of fraud, Monks noted, because scammers can access listing photos from the Multiple Listing Service and create convincing rental advertisements online.
More information: Anyone with information about this incident or who believes they may have been victimized in a similar scam should file a report with Riverside Police Department at (951) 826-5700 and submit an online complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
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