McCracken investigation underway into online rental scam

The McCracken County Sheriff's Office began investigating an online scam Monday involving the rental of a house.

The victim told deputies that he had located a listing on Facebook Marketplace of a house for rent. When the victim contacted the phone number on the fake advertisement, the suspect requested a deposit via the Chime banking app.

When the victim traveled to meet the alleged landlord to obtain the keys to the residence, the landlord was not there. The suspect then asked the victim for additional money through Chime.

Deputies discovered that the suspect is outside of the United States and is utilizing an internet “spoofing” program to appear to be a valid phone number within the USA.

Deputies also identified at least one other fake rental advertisement on Facebook Marketplace.

The sheriff's office reminds everyone to use caution when purchasing items or sending information via the internet.

The McCracken County Courthouse has parking spaces available for in-person transactions to combat fraud and to make the meeting safe.