Apartment and rental house hunting can be an adventure, but also a real balancing act. Issues like size, location, move-in date, monthly rent, and extra costs — like parking and utility bills — all factor in to a final decision. And many renters face the added challenge of the long-distance hunt, using websites with rental listings to find a home in another city or state.
Whether you’re a first-time renter or already a pro, the FTC, the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know how to avoid getting taken in by a rental scam.
These scams play out a number of ways. Some scammers hijack a bona fide rental or real estate listing by changing the email address or other contact information, and placing the modified ad on another site. The altered ad may use the name of the person who posted the original ad. Other rip-off artists make up listings for places that aren’t for rent or don’t exist, and try to lure you in with the promise of extra low rent. Their goal is to get your money before you find out.
Being savvy when you’re in search of a rental takes some extra effort, but with your money at stake, it’s well worth it. Here are some signs you may be dealing with a scam:
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.