How scammers may try to make money off your backyard pool

PRO-PALESTINIAN ENCAMPMENT FROM THE CAMPUS. >>> IMAGINE STRANGERS SWIMMING IN YOUR BACKYARD POOL WHILE YOU'RE NOT HOME. OR MAYBE BARBECUING ON YOUR BACKYARD PATIO BECAUSE A FRAUDSTER LISTED YOUR PROPERTY FOR RENT. IT HAPPENED TO ONE COUPLE IN SANTA BARBARA AND THE I-TEAM LEARNED, IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU. >> Reporter: ERIC AND LIST WIFE RECENTLY RETIRED TO SANTA BARBARA. >> FINALLY DECIDED TO PULL THE RIP CHORD AND MOVE OUT OF THE BAY AREA. >> Reporter: THEY PUT THEIR HOME ON THE MARKET. THEN SOMETHING ODD HAPPENED. >> I GET A TEXT FROM MY POOL GUY SAYING DO YOU KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR POOL? >> Reporter: HE HAD A CAMERA SHOWING PEOPLE SOAKING UP THE SUN MY MIND WAS SPINNING. IT WAS CRAZY TO HEAR, IT'S A VIOLATION, RIGHT IN THIS IS YOUR PROPERTY. YOU DON'T EXPECT TO HEAR THAT PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ARE THERE. >> Reporter: ERIC'S POOL GUY PUT THE FAMILY ON THE PHONE. THEY TOLD ERIC THEY HAD RENTED HIS POOL THROUGH SWIMAPPLY. A SITE WHERE YOU CAN RENT PRIVATE BACK YARDS BY THE HOUR. >> EMYOUR POOL IS LISTED THERE. NO. IT'S NOT. YOU'RE TRESPASSING. YOU NEED TO LEAVE OR I'LL CALL THE POLICE. >> Reporter: BUT SURE ENOUGH, HIS POOL WAS LISTED ON SWIMPLY DID YOU HE DIDN'T DO IT. PEOPLE ARE POCKETING THE $46 AN HOUR RENTAL FEE. >> I'M SHOCKED. HOW COULD SOMEBODY POST A LISTING WITHOUT VERIFYING THAT THEY ACTUALLY OWN THE PROPERTY? >> Reporter: A GOOD QUESTION. WE ASKED SWIMPLY. THEN HE SAID THEY DON'T CONFIRM WHO OPENS IT. FIRST THE COMPANY USES FRAUD DETECTION TO CATCH BOGUS LISTINGS WHICH ARE REMOVED WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS. BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR ERIC. AND THEY DIDN'T REMOVE HIS FAKE LISTING UNTIL HE REACHED OUT TO NBC. >> THEY CAN TALK UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME THAT THEY PROTECT YOU. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT. >> Reporter: THE I-TEAM WAS CURIOUS ABOUT SWIMPLY'S FRAUD PROTECTION SO WE TEAMED UP WITH OUR SISTER STATION IN THE BAY AREA. >> HERE'S THE POOL I POSTED THAT I DON'T OWN. >> Reporter: OUR I-TEAM PRODUCER LIST AD BACKYARD POOL FOR RENT. BUT THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY AN NBC BOSS IN THE BAY AREA. IN TURN -- >> I'M GOING TO TRY TO POST A LISTING -- >> Reporter: A BAY AREA INTERN POSTED OUR PRODUCER'S L.A. ROOF TOP PATIO FOR RENT. SHE GRABBED THE IMAGE FROM THE REAL ESTATE SITE ZILLOW. >> BOTH WERE IMMEDIATELY LISTABLE ON SWIMPLY'S SIGHT. IT WAS THERE FOR WEEKS. >> I THINK THAT'S APPALLING. THAT THEY CAN TAKE LISTINGS FOR POOLS THAT THEY'VE NEVER CONFIRM THAT SOMEBODY OWNS THAT PROPERTY. >> Reporter: WE ASKED SWIMPLY WHAT HAPPENED. IT SAID IN SOME INSTANCES THERE'S FRAUD. THEY SAID IT IS EXTREMELY UNCOMMON AND IT IS COMMITTED TO CATCHING FRAUDSTERS. THEY SAID THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS LIKE ADDING A BUTTON SO USERS CAN FLAG SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY. >> I DON'T OWN THIS POOL. >> Reporter: EVEN AFTER THIS RESPONSE, OUR FAKE LISTINGS WERE STILL ON THE SITE UNTIL WE FINALLY TOOK THEM DOWN. ERIC SAID IT IS A WARNING FOR ALL HOME OWNERS. >> I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THIS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE YOUR HOME FOR SALE, YOU NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS. A LOT OF TIME PROPERTIES ARE VACANT FOR A LONG TIME. >> HERE AN EASY WAY TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY. YOU CAN REMOVE PHOTOS OF YOUR HOME FROM REAL ESTATE SITES. WE HAVE STEP BY STEP INFORMATION FOR YOU ABOUT HOW TAD

Channel: NBCLA

Views: 178,634

Keywords: i-team, nbcla, scams

Id: sFKHPVyuctE

Length: 3min 43sec (223 seconds)

Published: Thu May 23 2024