This week, the Howell County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a victim, residing out of this area, losing money to a rental scammer when answering a local rental advertisement, they found online.
Rental property listing scams aim to steal money from interested renters. Scammers try to get you to pay for a security deposit or move-in fee without ever seeing the rental, and they’ll keep the money without any intention of renting to you.
The victim in our recent case, paid a deposit to the scammer over the Internet without seeing or meeting the property owner in person
To avoid this from happening to you, the Howell County Sheriff’s Office would like to share warning signs to watch out for, ways to prevent being scammed, and what to do if you’re a victim of a fraudulent listing.
THEY DON’T WANT TO MEET YOU IN PERSON
It’s never a good sign if the person who posted a rental listing says that they are not able to meet you in person. Even if you’re not able to meet in person, you should always be able to request a real-time video walkthrough of the rental so you know that the property exists. Scammers typically don’t want to meet you, since they don’t want you to be able to report them.
- THEY WANT YOU TO MOVE IN IMMEDIATELY, WITHOUT SEEING THE PROPERTY
Even if you meet someone in person who claims to be the landlord, you should always see the property before signing a lease or sending any money. It’s easy for someone to say they have a property and fake an online listing, so it’s best to see the property in person and make sure the place is available.
- YOU GET TO THE PROPERTY AND THEY DON’T LET YOU SEE THE INSIDE
A few scammers have met people at a house that was not theirs to steal a deposit from an unsuspecting victim. In most rental scams, the individual advertising the property doesn’t actually have any way to access the INSIDE of the property. If a landlord instructs you to inspect the property by walking around the OUTSIDE ONLY, this is almost certainly a scam.
- THEY ASK FOR RENT OR A SECURITY DEPOSIT BEFORE SIGNING A LEASE
An apparent sign that the apartment you’re looking at is a scam is if the property manager, landlord, or real estate agent asks for rent or a security deposit BEFORE signing a lease.
- THEY WANT YOU TO WIRE MONEY, SEND GIFT CARDS, VENMO, OR A MONEY ORDER TO HAVE KEYS MAILED TO YOU
You should never mail or wire money to anyone if you have not signed a lease. Anyone asking for gift cards or money gram for a house rental is likely scamming you. In some cases, a scammer will tell you they live out of town and need you to forward the money to them in return for the keys. Remember that anyone who doesn’t live near the rental itself should have someone, such as a property manager or realtor, who lives in the area and can handle these situations.
- THE PRICE IS TOO GOOD
Whenever you see a price that looks too good to be true, it probably is. A property that is priced well below the going market rate in your area should be an immediate red flag. The incentive to act fast before it’s gone can cause renters to sign a lease quickly. DON’T T FALL FOR IT!
- THEY WANT YOU TO SIGN AN INCOMPLETE LEASE
One reason why every renter needs to read through a new lease is to see if it’s complete or not. A landlord or property manager who asks you to sign an incomplete lease does not have your best interest in mind, because they can change the lease whenever (and however) they want without letting you know.
By going through your lease to make sure there are no blank spaces, vague writing, or incomplete sentences, you’re making sure that you will not be harmed by a manipulated lease in the future.
WAYS TO AVOID RENTAL SCAMS
- Thoroughly check out the rental listing: Make sure the rental listing you’re considering is legitimate. If there are any red flags or scam-like qualities, skip it.
- Meet the landlord in person: You need to meet the person you are renting from.
- See the property in person: This can be a time-consuming step, but seeing a rental unit in person will let you know the property exists and give you a good idea as to whether or not you want to live there before signing the lease.
- WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU’RE A VICTIM OF A RENTAL SCAM?
- CONTACT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT: File a report.
- CONTACT THE LISTING WEBSITE: They can ensure the fraudulent listing is taken down and report the lister.
- REPORT IT TO THE FTC: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for protecting consumers, specifically when it comes to how a business handles your personal information, or if an individual is falsely claiming to run a business. Report it here: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ .
FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE INTERNET CRIME COMPLAINT CENTER: The IC3 is the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a government agency that makes it easy for individuals to report a crime that takes place online. They work with the FBI and local authorities to help manage and solve internet scams, such as rental listing scams. Report it here: https://www.ic3.gov/Home/ComplaintChoice .
For a Complete Look at All the Latest News Click Link Below
https://www.ecommnewsnetwork.com/category/news-daypop/