Credit Updates (aka Credit Bureau Center LTD)

Check Credit Updates (aka Credit Bureau Center LTD) reviews to see if it is legit.

Scott –

Victim Location 90401

Type of a scam Rental

I was searching on craigslist.com for an apartment to rent in Santa Monica. I found a few that I liked, so contacted the lister ([email protected]) through craigslist. I received the following email:

"Thank you for your interest in the property listed for rent. You are renting the entire property. You were the first to e-mail from the advertising. We just finished all new renovations and are currently ready to rent with flexible terms. We will work with you on move in date, lease security deposit and length.

I understand you desire the exact address of the property but we do want not to divulge the address before you are qualified. We have had a string of break ins, squatters and thefts at our other properties. We want to avoid that with this property because of the renovations that have cost a great deal of money. You’ll be the first to move in with the renovations.

All utilities are priced into the lease along with garage parking spaces. The appliances in the kitchen as well as laundry room were just installed. You have the option to pick your paint color and flooring prior to your move in

When you want to come look at the place, then please visit the link below and grab your credit report. All of our tenants use this site because it is widely trusted. Just fill out the form and indicate that you want the report. We aren’t interested in specifics of your report, it’s more of a formality to ensure you have rental history. Simply get your report by CLICKING HERE

Remember, print out the report and bring it to the tour.. We’ll waive your security deposit if your score is above 530+.

Let me know when you have an updated version of your credit report. Then I’ll schedule you for a showing.

Thank you,

Heather"

The CLICKING HERE link took me to www.creditupdates.com, where I requested a credit report (little did I realize, but I was also signing up for a $30/mo credit monitoring service, which I didn’t notice when signing up for what I thought was a free credit report). I replied back to "Heather" that my credit was fine and requested a time to view the property. I never got a response.

A little later, I got a response from a different listing I requested (from [email protected]):

"Thank you for your interest in the property listed for rent. You were the second to e-mail from the ad. The first prospective tenant no longer had to move because of his home situation. So we give the opportunity to you. We just completed all new renovations and are currently ready to rent with flexible terms. We will work with you on move in date, lease security deposit and length.

I understand that you want the precise address of the property but we do want not to disclose the address before you are qualified. We have had a string of break ins, squatters and thefts at our other properties. We want to avoid that with this property due to the renovations that have cost lots of money. You will be the first to move in with the renovations.

All utilities are priced into the lease along with garage parking spaces. The appliances in the kitchen as well as laundry room were just installed. You have the option to pick your paint color and flooring prior to your move in

When you want to come look at the place, then please visit the link below and grab your credit report. We use this site since it’s it gives you 3 scores. Just fill out the form and indicate that you want the report. We aren’t interested in specifics of your report, it’s more of a formality to ensure you have rental history. You can get your report by CLICKING HERE

Keep in mind that you only have to bring your report to the tour. We typically waive the security deposit with a score of 600+.

Let me know when you have an updated version of your credit report. Then I’ll schedule you for a showing.

See you soon,

Leslie"

The similarities between the two emails prompted me to check reviews on www.creditupdates.com. Needless to say, I was dismayed to find that others had fallen for the same scam.

What it appears is that people (presumably employees of www.creditupdates.com) are posting fake apartment listings to get people to sign up for services with www.creditupdates.com, who also do credit repair, in addition to the $30/month credit monitoring service. Reading online about them is how I learned that I probably signed up for said monthly service. I’ve called them to cancel that service. I’ve also cancelled my credit card, so they cannot charge me in case my cancellation doesn’t "take."

While the company itself *might* be legitimate, their marketing practices are, at best, SHADY.

BEWARE!

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