How to Prevent Fraud When Renting a House
If you're looking to rent a house, chances are you are searching ads online to find the perfect home. Unfortunately, there are some people online who don't care about your home search and just want your money. If you're going to use the Internet to search for rental property, learn the red flags of rental fraud schemes so you don't end up losing the money you've saved to rent your new home.
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Instructions
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Read classified ads carefully. Avoid ads that are written using poor grammar or have multiple spelling mistakes. Even if such an ad isn't a scam, the landlord may not be very responsible or professional if he doesn't proofread his ads.
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Insist on meeting the landlord or his representative in person. Some scammers claim to be out of town on business and ask for you to pay a deposit before seeing the house. Never do this. Always view property before you rent it, and never give money to someone you have not met in person.
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Don't deal with landlords who require you to pay using Western Union or other money transfers. Many scammers online use money transfers to perpetuate fraud. Similarly, if a landlord asks you to pay an amount other than what is agreed upon and promises to refund you the difference, it is probably a scam.
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Use established rental websites to facilitate your search for a rental. These websites require landlords to pay for listings and are less likely to post scams. However, a scam might get past one of these company's owners, so use your best judgment when checking out rentals and follow the rules above to avoid scams.
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Search for the landlord's name online before contacting the landlord. If a particular landlord doesn't deal with tenants appropriately, you may find complaints by doing a quick search. Always initiate contact with landlords yourself; don't respond to any unsolicited emails regarding rental property.
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Tips & Warnings
Report any suspicious ads to the website that hosts them. Most websites have an email address where you can report fraudulent activity. Even if you didn't fall for a scam, reporting the ads can get scammers shut down and help others who might have fallen for it.
Remember the rule that "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is." Use common sense and listen to your instincts. If something feels wrong about a rental ad or situation, don't proceed with it.
