The Jackson Police Department is warning people of a new scam involving valley rental properties.
 
People from outside the country copy listings for rental properties that are available online and then relist them for much lower prices but with the caveat that prospective tenants send or wire money immediately to secure their spot, said police officer Tony Mathews.
 
Mark Henning, property manager for Jackson Hole Apartments, found one of his own listings, for a single-family home in Rafter J he was advertising for $3,500 a month, listed on Craig’s List for $900 a month.
 
“It was listed with my information but their e-mail, and they were trying to get people to send a $600 deposit to hold it,” he said.
 
Henning said he was aware of at least one person who sent money to cover the deposit on one of the bogus ads and knew of three to four properties that had been included in the scam.
 
Henning said the steep discounts on the properties and the lower-than-average deposits required, combined with the tight rental market, can lead some people to be less cautious than they should be.
 
The person who sent money has filed a complaint, Henning said, but Mathews said the Jackson Police Department is almost powerless to pursue the scammers.
 
Mathews said operators of the scam often use a series of different e-mail addresses, or if there is a phone number listed, it is often a disposable cell phone in another country such as Nigeria.
 
“It is really difficult to act as a law-enforcement officer because we have no authority in another country,” he said.
 
A little due research can often uncover the scam, Mathews said. He recommended prospective renters be careful of ads that do not have a local phone number or list only an e-mail contact. The scam listings also seem to be online, instead of in local newspapers.
 
He said prospective renters should follow up with an e-mail or phone call before sending money. Often replies to e-mail inquiries are written with poor grammar and spelling.
 
“Be careful of anything where they are trying to get you to send money before they show the place,” he said.
 
Mathews also recommended asking  for the name of the property owner and then following up on the Teton County Web site, which has property ownership records available online. Often mailing and phone information is available online, as well.
 
“You can get online and do your own research to protect yourself,” he said.
 
Anyone who thinks he or she might have found a fraudulent listing or has been a victim of a fraud should still contact the Jackson Police Department, Mathews said.