Make sure to have the lease agreement in writing after you have inspected a property and agreed on the conditions of your lease. Make a written copy of your lease agreement

Personal contacts with landlords will help you to screen out possible con artists while also learning about their personalities.Ī local landlord or management company will almost always provide better service and reduce the risk of fraud, even though many out-of-town landlords are legitimate. Having a face-to-face meeting with the landlordĮven though some scammers are willing to meet with renters in person, many others, particularly those operating from overseas, are not. Even in the best-case scenario, this individual may be difficult to contact if repairs are required. It is important to recognize that any attempt by a landlord to remain anonymous should be taken seriously. Even if the landlord is not a scam artist, landlords that accept just cash are notoriously difficult to work with. In most cases, legitimate landlords would accept regular or cashier's checks, as these are easier for the authorities to track down if a criminal makes off with your funds. Additionally, the tenant should avoid transferring money, utilizing Western Union, or any other sort of cash equivalent that is difficult to trace, such as Moneygram, Bitcoin, or MoneyPak. In particular, a security deposit and the first month's rent should be considered. The majority of crooks will demand a difficult-to-trace method of payment, and if you refuse, they will hunt for a more easily exploitable victim.Ī tenant should never make a cash payment to a landlord for anything. Aware that the police can track the most common forms of payment, sophisticated criminals take steps to avoid being apprehended by the authorities. Receiving untraceable money is the weak spot in almost all fraud schemes, and it is the most common. In return for a property address, do not provide any personal information about yourself. Copy and enter the address above into your chosen search engine to see what is different from the photographs posted, the posting is most likely a hoax or scam.įurthermore, if the landlord refuses to provide the address, this is not a good indicator for the tenant. The adage 'prevention is better than cure' holds in the rental housing market, therefore here are 5 Important Tips To Home Rental Scams to assist you to avoid landlord and rental scams as a guide as you navigate the rental housing market:Ĭheck the address mentioned on rental websites to be sure it is correctĮvery listing should be accompanied by a physical mailing address. So, how do you tell whether or not you're dealing with an authentic rental or a rental scam?

It has the ideal amount of bedrooms, is in an excellent location, and the price is within your budgetary constraints. You've combed through rental listings in your neighborhood and discovered your ideal home. How to advoid getting rent scammed in NYC

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