6 Signs You’re Dealing With A Rental Scam

COVID-19 has the real estate market moving. Many have realized that living in big cities isn’t as advantageous as they thought, especially during a pandemic, causing them to relocate to less populated towns. Meanwhile, others need a change of scenery so they can save money and downgrade their living arrangements.

Regardless of your reason for moving, this much is true: Scammers know people are on the move, and they’re trying to take advantage of it.

So you don’t lose your hard-earned money or get your data stolen, keep an eye out for these rental scams. Falling victim to one of them could make an already difficult situation even worse.

Telltale Signs of a Rental Scam

While seeing one of these signs doesn’t mean that you’re about to be 100 percent scammed, they should raise red flags. Before signing anything or forking over any cash, do your research, as these could signify that you’re dealing with a potential con artist:

1. You have to sign a lease before you can see the property.

Does it make sense that you’d have to sign a contract before you can even see what you’re getting? Of course not, but since some people need to quickly move to a new place, they’ll enter such an agreement without knowing what they’re getting into.

2. The rental ad appears unprofessional.

Every ad you see won’t have perfect spelling or grammar. Still, this should raise your eyebrows and let you know that you should proceed with caution.

Misspelling, poor grammar, or the use of all CAPS to get your attention could mean that a con artist is behind the ad. Be careful.

As a side note, if you notice that some of the words are spelled with a “foreign” version, such as favour versus favor, you may be dealing with someone overseas who’s looking to see if they can get any bites.

3. You have to pay to see the property.

You should never have to pay a fee to see a rental before you sign on the dotted line. If they ask for a fee, end the conversation.

4. The agent uses high-pressure tactics.

Does it seem like the person you’re dealing with is pressuring you too much? Do they keep pushing for you to sign a lease or hand over a deposit? If so, move on, especially if the pressure is so much that it makes you suspicious or uncomfortable.

5. The actual owner is never available.

Are there property owners that are so busy, they may not be around? Sure, but if you ask to speak to the owner and the agent says they’re not available, be sure to ask why or move on. The owner may not be available because they may not exist, and the agent could be trying to rent you a nonexistent property to see if they can run away with a deposit or your info.

6. The rental amount is much lower than competing properties.

Sometimes you’ll run into an owner who needs the cash, so they’ll be willing to drop their rental price to do business quickly. However, if the rental price is so low that it seems suspicious, it’s probably a scam.