Top 7 tips to avoid a summer rental rip-off

NEW YORK (WABC) -- It was a summer rental steal, 6 bedrooms, 4 baths, sleeps 14, with a heated pool and, over-looking the bay in Long Beach Island. Offered on CraigsList for the rock bottom weekly rent of just $4,000 in a prime week.[br /][br /]"The owner called our agent and said my listing's on CraigsList. My houses is on CraigsList. I didn't put it there. and it's offered for less than half what it's normally," said David Wyrsch, L.B.I. realtor and owner of The Van Dyk Group. He says the listing was a scam, revealed just a week ago. The rental actually lists for $13,000 per week.[br /][br /]"There's already at least a dozen complaints of this king of thing going on," said Wyrsch.[br /][br /]Wyrsch says, to avoid a rental rip off be skeptical of a listing's photos easily ripped off a legit listing and posted somewhere else.[br /][Ads /][br /]Do some research. Check the owner out online and Google the address to make sure the address isn't bogus. But the best way to check.[br /][br /]"I always suggest for people to come down and look at the property, in fact we always do," says Wyrsch.[br /][br /]"You need to really be careful," says LBI realtor Barbara Montone. And that means start by using a licensed real estate broker.[br /][br /]She's listed this [url HREF="http://mymobile.flexmls.com/BarbaraMontone/listings/20150509180630390329000000#PhotoSwipe1431649961393[br /][br /]" TARGET="http://mymobile.flexmls.com/BarbaraMontone/listings/20150509180630390329000000#PhotoSwipe1431649961393[br /][br /]" REL="nofollow"]Mantaloking mansion[/url] for $2.8 million. Now she regularly scans for scams making sure her photos aren't popping up on fake listings.[br /][br /]"You need to be sure the agent you're working with that company that you're working with is reputable," said Montone.[br /][br /]And never ever pay in cash or by using a money order. Tyler Cox and his friends got burned by bogus beach house offered by a person living in a Florida homeless shelter who make a fake listing with pictures stolen online.[br /][br /]"I thought it was a steal," said Cox.[br /][br /]Don't be seduced by a low-ball price, and remember the golden rule. If it's too good to be true, it probably is," says Wyrsch.[br /][br /]