Belt Auction

Renting from a private owner over seas from Yahoo Real estate?

I am about to rent a private property from a private owner. The owner lives in Germany and I have to deposit funds into an escrow service through Yahoo Real Estate before I am shown the apt. I want to verfiy this service is legit and get a contact number for the representative I will be sending the money to.

Public Comments

1. I hope you get that contact number and verify it's legit, that's risky business.
2. Wait a sec, you have to deposit funds before you are even shown the apartment? What happens if you don't like the place, you get your money back? Without specifics about who the escrow service is and such I doubt anyone could tell you for sure if its fake or not, but I would never depoist funds just to look at a place, that seems ridiculous - I mean is this a million dollar mansion or something. Maybe someone else who has experience with this will speak up, but this sounds fishy to me, I wouldn't depoist anything just to see a place.
3. This sounds like a definite scam. Why are you even interested in looking at a property being rented by someone overseas? I'll bet that it's below market price, right? That's definitely a red flag that it's a scam. Always tell yourself, "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is." I would bet that you send the guy the money, and you'll never hear anything about it again and he'll run off.
4. Don't do it!!!! I have the same exact proposal and if you look at other things that people have posted on Yahoo! Answers it's a total and utter scam. I was think close to sending the money and lucky saw the things that other people have posted. Run! Run as fast as you can the other way!!!