KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Knoxville couple lost hundreds of dollars believing they were going to rent a home at a bargain basement price. Now, they want to warn others about the hoax.

The cost to rent a home around Knoxville is at an all-time high. The median price to rent an average-sized home in Knoxville is $2,094. That’s $94 more than last year at this time, according to Zillow’s rental manager.

Helen and Ashley want to find a rental home that’s inexpensive. Married four months ago, the couple is searching for a rental so they can strike out on their own. They went to Facebook Marketplace last month looking for a home and found a cheap one, or so they thought.

Unknown to them, the would-be landlord copied the photos and description from legitimate rental sites to make his fake listing look credible. The home was ideally located and close to their jobs. The landlord sent text messages and there was no face-to-face contact, however, the price was perfect.

“He wanted $550 as the rent, plus the down payment was $200. So, the move-in amount was $750. Pretty much we had that in two or three weeks,” said Helen.

The couple asked to see the house, but the would-be landlord told them no.

“He told me, no, I couldn’t see it until he was there with me to see the house,” said Ashley.

The scammer sent a picture claiming it showed him and his wife in the hospital, she was ill. The picture was also a fake.

Once they paid him the money, the couple said he made arrangements for them to see the house.

“That morning that I was supposed to go see the house, get the key and the release papers, I got blocked off everything. I tried to contact him by calling and it was disconnected,” said Ashley.

Helen added that their money was gone, “We sent it to this guy we thought was renting the house out. And then come to find out. He blocks my wife on everything found out it was a scam.”

Warning signs of this scam can include low rental prices designed to lure you in. In addition, the scammers chat directly through Facebook Messenger, text, or email to build trust. They will say anything to trick you into sending them money through payment platforms like PayPal, Venmo, and CashApp. Finally, the scammers will disappear once they have taken your money. Victims who have lost money rarely get it back.

“I’ve learned from my mistake to pretty much research a lot more on the place before giving money out,” said Ashley.

There are several ways someone can protect themselves from these scams, including:

• Consult with licensed real estate agents and lenders
• Don’t deal with someone who will not meet you in person.
• Don’t send rent or a security deposit before signing a lease.
• Never give personal or financial information to someone you don’t trust.
• If the price seems too good to be true, it likely is.
• If the listing is full of typos, poor grammar, or excessive punctuation, beware.

In addition, if an address is given for the house, go see it in person before signing any contracts or handing over money.