$1.2M Dream Home Listed for $10,200 On Zillow? Missouri Couple Calls It a 'Hot Mess' – When a Deal Feels Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is

Jamey and Lauren Bertram were convinced their five-bedroom ranch home in Kansas City, Missouri, was firmly off the market. Instead, their house recently became the center of a bizarre online scam that stunned the couple.

Jamey shared the unsettling experience, saying, "My wife and I suddenly started getting emails from friends asking, ‘Are you selling your house?' I had no idea what they were talking about."

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The couple quickly discovered their home was listed on Zillow, a popular real estate site. The initial listing was at a market value of around $1.2 million, a price that made sense for their luxurious property. But things turned strange the next day when the listing was slashed to an unbelievable $10,200.

"Selling my home because my family and I own many houses across the U.S.," the listing stated. "Once a year, we sell one or a few homes to first-time buyers for under $25,000. This is done to bless a family or individual that needs it but also as a tax write-off for us."

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Jamey described the chaos, explaining that people began showing up at their doorstep, eager to see the supposed "bargain" home. "Our house was hacked on Zillow," he said. "I've spent the last three days trying to untangle this mess."

Jamey's attempts to resolve the situation hit a wall. "I've had zero help from Zillow. They've become unresponsive. … It's a hot mess."

The listing directed interested buyers to call a mysterious "Mandi" at a number based in Las Vegas. Reporters from The Kansas City Star reached out to the number, only to be asked to send $200 through an online banking app, supposedly to "the owner's mom" before a home tour could be arranged. The scammers even promised a refund if the buyer decided not to proceed with the purchase.

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Frustrated, Jamey contacted Zillow and provided them with a copy of his latest Jackson County property tax receipt as proof of ownership. But he claims he never heard back from the company. "I'm stuck," he said. "People want to see the house. It's just a complete scam."

After the Kansas City Star stepped in, a Zillow spokesperson named Gina Cole confirmed that the fraudulent listing had been removed as of the following morning.

This case illustrates a surging problem within the real estate market. According to data from the FBI, in 2023, more than 9,500 people lost over $145 million in real estate fraud. Earlier this year, Oklahoma County Assessor Larry Stein warned that scammers were advertising houses for ridiculously low prices to entice unwary buyers.

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“People believe what they see on the internet, especially when it looks like a great deal,” Stein warned. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel also sounded the alarm in March, alerting residents to increased scams involving fake Zillow and Facebook Marketplace listings. “Buying a home is one of the biggest expenses most people will ever have,” she said. “When there’s that much money involved, scammers are drawn to it.”

The FBI has warned prospective buyers never to send money before seeing a property, to avoid wiring funds to strangers, and to be cautious when filling out applications. It's also important to verify the identity of the landlord or seller by checking public records and reading reviews from past homeowners.

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