UPDATE: Fort Myers Beach homeowner alarmed to find her home on Craigslist
FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla.- A Fort Myers Beach homeowner is furious to find her waterfront property is up for rent on Craigslist.
This isn't anything new. She has been fighting for months to get the ad pulled from the site.
Elaine Morbi owns a house that sits right on the edge of paradise, but she never knows when others might want to check out her home's view.
"My husband and I were here having coffee on a Sunday morning and the doorbell rang. It was a couple from Indiana," said Morbi.
The couple found her waterfront property up for rent on Craigslist and handed her a rental agreement which had Elaine's Fort Myers Beach address listed on it. This is how Elaine learned her home is being used in a rental scam. I first spoke with Elaine back in January and nearly a month later her home is still being listed. Another ad was posted on Craigslist on Wednesday.
"I have no idea when people are going to be ringing our doorbell or who is going to be ringing our doorbell and what kind of state of mind they're going to be in ..they can be out thousands of dollars," said Morbi.
So Fox contacted Craigslist again. We are waiting to hear back. Fox also called the Lee County Sheriff's Office. A spokeswoman tells us according to state statue, the homeowner is not a victim beacuse nothing has been lost, but if a victim came forward who was scammed and lost money then they could open an investigation.
So I decided to contact the man behind the Craigslist ad. He told me by email that Elaine's home was up for rent. I then told him I was a reporter and he immediately pulled the ad.
"Be careful of what you're dealing with and enter your own risk when you're using Craigslist," said Morbi.
The Florida Attorney General's Office tells us a complaint can be filed on its website. You can learn to file a complaint by clicking on Quick Links. The homeowner can also call the Fraud Hotline at 866-966-7226.
The sheriff's office also has a fraud hotline at 239-477-1242.
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