Rental Scam: How to prevent society from rental Scam

Have you fallen for a rental scam? If yes, I can feel you because I’m one of you who lost thousands of dollars in a rental scam. According to a recent report, about 300 people in Singapore lost $1.8 million to rental scams in 2023.

Finding a rental place is a hard job because many rental scammers are out there who are always ready to trick you into taking your money away. But don’t worry, you can avoid rental scams. But how? Try to do proper research about the residential places, visit the property in person, use a secure money transfer method, do paperwork before paying, etc.

Do you want to know more to avoid rental scams? Here are several steps I took to shield myself from rental scams; you can follow these steps to avoid rental scams.

8 Tips to prevent rental scam

There are many ways to prevent rental scams, such as

• Research Thoroughly

Before renting a place, you must research properly to avoid rental scams. First, decide where you want to get a rental place, and research area pros and cons. Research the average rent of that area, like what rent people are paying. So no owner will charge you high.

Additionally, do a reverse image search of the property photos the owner or agent sent you to check if those pictures are already on the internet.

• Visit Properties in Person

Once you’ve chosen your ideal property, visit it in person to ensure all details are accurate about the property as advertised. Actually, rental scammers use fake photos, videos, and details to attract renters. So always try to visit that place to see its original condition and exact location to ensure that it meets your expectations.

If the landlord or agent refuses to let you visit the rental place or asks for a visitation fee, then it’s confirmed it is a rental scam, so avoid such an agent or landlord.

• Verify the Landlord’s Identity

The typical rental fraud people do is advertising the property for rent without sowing the details about the landlord. Actually, scammers always present themselves as the real owners. That’s why checking the landlord’s identity is crucial in avoiding rental scams. This way, you can ensure that the person you are dealing with is the real owner and that there is no chance of fraud.  

When you visit the owner, ask about their Identity card, utility bill, property deeds, etc. If all documents have the same name and address matching their ID, you can confirm you’re dealing with the actual owner. Surely, This step can save you from handing over money for a property to a scammer to avoid rental scams.

Moreover, always check that your landlord is a National Landlord Association member.

• Use Trusted Rental Platforms

Using trusted rental platforms is a smart move to find a safe rental place and avoid rental scams. Hundreds of platforms offer you affordable rental places in the best locations, but not all these platforms are trustworthy. However, few rental applications are trusted and have built-in features to verify listings and landlords, reducing the chances of preventing rental scams. 

Always go with those rental platforms that include reviews from previous renters because renters always share real reviews about their experience. Also, find a rental place on such apps that has direct communication channels with landlords or property management companies. By choosing a well-known and reputable platform, you can access a wider selection of genuine listings and get good prices.

• Choose a trusted money transfer.

For paying for your rental house, choose a safe money transfer method. Firstly, don’t pay them upfront in advance if they force you because it is one of the biggest rental scams. Don’t pay cash or send money to the landlord via wire because it’s unsafe.

Always make the online payments via your bank or hand over a check, but keep proof of this payment and directly send them to the landlord’s bank account, not to a third party. Otherwise, you will get scammed.

• Demand a Written Lease

When you get a home on rent, always demand a written lease to reduce the risk of rental scams. A written lease is just like an agreement between a renter and a house owner. This written lease includes rent details like monthly rent, rental period, security deposit, and other important terms and conditions related to a rental home. So you have to ask your landlord to make a written lease and sign a contract.

This written lease can help prevent misunderstandings about rent, utility payments, and other responsibilities. It will provide you with legal protection for both parties. If a dispute arises, this lease will act as evidence of the agreed-upon terms.

• Talk to the Current or Previous Tenants

Checking the reliability of a landlord is important, and you can do this by reaching out to current or former tenants. Many landlords willingly offer references. Or you can do some research on your own to get this information. Speaking with previous tenants provides insight beyond the landlord’s trustworthiness or scammer.

If the previous or current tenants share awful experiences, that means they are scammers and will scam you. This method is effective in preventing rental scams and saving your dollars.

Conclusion

When people get shifted from one city to another city or country, they prefer rental houses. But the majority of people get scammed while getting a rental home, and they lose their money because of this rental scam. Scammers try different tricks to do rental scams with you, but you can avoid such scams by following the above mentioned tips like doing basic research, checking property ownership, visiting the place and owner, etc.

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