Sublease Scam
Subleasing an apartment or other living space is often a preferred alternative to signing a yearlong lease. This is particularly true for professionals and interns relocating for brief periods of time. Unfortunately, there are many scams designed to take advantage of this preference.
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Surprisingly Low Prices
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Scam artists often depend on the consumer's desire for a great deal, so they advertise rates that are considerably lower than those of properties in surrounding areas. For example, if the average price of a one-bedroom apartment in a particular area is $1,300 a month, then a one-bedroom offered at $400 a month or less is probably too good to be true.
Suspicious Credit Check Websites
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Scam artists often provide links to what they say are free credit check websites, where you will be asked to enter your Social Security number and other personal information. This information can be used to steal your identity. These sites tend to be poorly designed and look cheap, and they often go through various redirects before a page opens.
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Money Wire Requests
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A request to wire money is a sign of a scam. Wired money can't be traced or recovered. Pay any required deposit in the form of a traceable personal check.
Head-Scratching Explanations
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A far-fetched explanation of why a property can't be viewed or vacated should be cause for concern. A San Francisco Bay area subleasing scam was revealed when two coworkers discovered they both planned to move into the same apartment. The woman who posed as a landlord told renters they could move in once her mother recovered from an unspecified illness.
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References
- Photo Credit room image by Zbigniew Nowak from Fotolia.com
