08/15/2013
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Rental scams are all over the place these days, so it is more important than ever to arm yourself with the knowledge it takes to avoid these scammers. These individuals are out to get your personal information and your money. With so many college students renting homes and apartments, it’s critical to be able to spot one of these scams. This article discusses two rental scams to avoid.
Email rental scam
There are some common themes that a rental scam email message includes. Here are some tips to help you identify whether the email is legit or a scam.
1. Does the person discuss moving in to the property site unseen?
2. Was the email sent from a free email provider such as Gmail, AOL or Yahoo?
3. Does the email use the words God, Nigeria, Doctor or Cashier’s Check?
4. Does the email sender use a lot of capitalization?
5. Are there a lot of misspellings and character mistakes in the email?
6. Does the email address you as Madam/Sir?
If the email that you received is not from a trusted source and uses some of these common themes it is probably a scam. If you are every unsure, just go ahead and delete the email.
Money order scam
The money order scam used on renters has been incredibly devastating because it has worked so well on so many people. The scammer advertises an incredibly cheap rental property on a free classified website and the renter contacts them for more information. The scam artist tells the renter that he is on business out of the country. The scammer asks the renter to wire money to one of the renters friends to make them feel comfortable with the transaction. Then the scammer asks to see the receipt. Money order receipts are all the scammer needs to pick up the money anywhere in the world.
If the deal sounds too good to be true and you can’t meet the person face to face, it is probably a scam! Protect yourself from scams as well as the unexpected in life.
Steven Kane is a Consumer Protection professional working with national brands, such as Interior Home Decors, to protect both companies and consumers from Scams. Steven’s experience in Consumer Protection has led to less claims and lower costs for consumers.
© 2013 Steven KaneThe views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of College Central Network, Inc. or its affiliates. Reference to any company, organization, product, or service does not constitute endorsement by College Central Network, Inc., its affiliates or associated companies. The information provided is not intended to replace the advice or guidance of your legal, financial, or medical professional.