Friendswood police warn potential renter of fake rentals being listed on social media

FRIENDSWOOD, Texas (KTRK) -- Friendswood police are warning residents not to rent homes from social media sites after at least two cases of potential renters being duped.

Investigators say in both cases, potential renters found homes on Facebook Marketplace, paid deposits, only to find out the homes they thought they rented, were never available in the first place.

In one case, a woman showed up at the 700 block of Juliabora Court with rental documents and tried to get into a home for sale. When she realized she could not get in, she called the Friendswood Police Department.

"The patrolman came over here and asked me if I knew who owned the house," Don Davila, who has lived in the cul-de-sac for over 30 years, recalled.

The house in question is for sale, but the woman apparently thought she had rented the place, having paid a deposit and being sent paperwork.

"She called the police and reported that she did pay a deposit and was not given that deposit back," Taylor McCombs, a spokesperson for Friendswood Police, said. "She was actually told to change the locks in the residence. She had gone through measures to do that. She took the For Sale signs out of the yard. She went back to the residence, and she realized she had been scammed."

Friendswood police say the saga started a mile away. Police say the first home listed for rent was in the 1500 block of Regency Court.

When the woman inquired via Facebook, the suspects apparently told her it was no longer available and sent her to the second home on Juliabora Court.

Two separate companies own the houses and are not related to the suspects at all.

"She had numerous papers she was showing the policemen," Davila recalled. "The policemen just felt bad for her."

Friendswood police say they are now investigating this case and the other rental case to see if they are related, and they have a warning for anyone looking for a home.

"I would say to avoid social media, meet the person, and contact who you can to make sure they are real and to follow up with that," McCombs said.

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