Beware! There are tons of scammers out there looking to get their hands on your hard-earned money when it comes to renting property.
Continue reading to find out 12 signs of a rental scam that you can hopefully spot.
12. The Landlord is Too Eager
If the landlord seems just a little too eager to lease you the property, chances are you could be getting scammed. See, here’s the thing: there’s a process to renting a home. It’s not like buying a product from a store where all you have to do is have the cash (or credit) on hand to pay for said product and take it home with you.
When renting a home, you’ll be asked for financial information and employment verification and may have to undergo a background check. If the landlord is willing to skip this process is overly willing to negotiate the lease with you, take it as a sign that something is wrong.
11. You Aren’t Allowed to See the Property
You wouldn’t buy or rent something sight unseen, right? Right! But scammers are hoping that you’ll be gullible enough to do just that. They’ll often use vacant property (e.g., a vacation home or a home that a bank owns) as their rental property. When it comes time to view the said property, they will suddenly be unable to meet with you or flat out refuse to give you the address.
“If you reach out about an online rental listing and the person who responds doesn’t immediately ask to show you the available space or at least discuss options for a virtual or video tour, consider it a telltale sign that he or she has no association with the property,” U.S. News & World Report wrote on its website.
To avoid having something like this happen to you, make sure you NEVER sign the contract before you’ve seen the property.
