Rental Scams

Among the hundreds of perfectly legitimate rental listings in your area, there will probably also be scams. While looking for a place to rent, there are some clear signs to keep in mind that might indicate an offer is actually a scam.

The following are some clear signs that you are looking at a scam:

• Research the property and its owner before pursuing very cheap listings. If you cannot find the names and numbers of the owners in the ad, it is likely that you are looking at a scam and you should avoid this offer. Many times rental listings such as these are found in large free classified ads.
• If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Beware of ads that list a rental price at far below the average for the area. Often scammers will do this to generate interest, but in reality the property may not exist or is not being rented out.
• A sure sign that it is a scam is if they want you to wire them money or send a security deposit before you have actually met or signed a lease.
• Scammers commonly also say that they cannot meet because they are out of the country.
• It is also common for scammers to try and involve third parties for money transactions.

If the owner is pushy about getting personal information from you, trust your instincts and look for other rental options. There are many trusted rental agencies that can help you find a house or apartment to rent and avoid losing money and time from a scam.