BBB Scam Alert: Rental cons cash in on stressed-out movers

Milwaukee, Wis. – Finding a new place to live is stressful! Scammers know that people in the midst of moving don’t always have time to do the necessary research. Avoid scams by watching out for these latest tricks.

How the scam works:

You respond to an online rental listing that touts a beautiful home, low rent, and great amenities. It looks legitimate; con artists often use real photos and descriptions stolen from other websites. The “landlord” replies to your message claiming to be out of town and unable to show the property. In the newest BBB Scam Tracker reports, con artists pretend to be out of town for work or in the hospital with a health emergency.

The scammer will then create a false sense of urgency, telling you that others are interested, so you must act immediately. They will ask for a security deposit and/or the first month’s rent to reserve the property. The scammer may claim that you can see the property through a rental agent – only after you pay the deposit.  In some versions, the “landlord” will require prospective tenants to complete an application form, which asks for personal details like a Social Security number.

One renter reported this experience, “I saw a house for rent on Facebook and reached out… They sent me an application link and requested $50 per adult through CashApp. I sent $100 for two adults and got a confirmation link saying they received the application. After that, they requested $400 to be sent to them to hold the property. I refused since I had not met them in person or seen the house.”

No matter the details, the result is the same once you send the money. The “landlord” will stop responding to messages and disappear. Renters reported to BBB Scam Tracker losing thousands after paying fees to hold an apartment, make a deposit, and pay the first month’s rent.

Tips to avoid this scam:

• Watch out for deals that are too good. Scammers lure you in by promising low rents, extra amenities, and a great location. If the price seems much better than elsewhere, it may be a scam.
• Search online for similar properties. Do a quick search for the listing, scammer’s email address, or phone number. If you find the same ad listed in other cities, that’s a huge red flag.
• See the property in person. Don’t send money to someone you’ve never met for an apartment you haven’t seen. If you can’t visit an apartment or house yourself, ask someone you trust to go and confirm that it is what was advertised.
• Don’t pay a stranger with cash transfer apps. Many scammers now ask for payments through peer-to-peer apps instead of wired funds or prepaid debit/gift cards. Only use these apps with people you know. It’s ok to pay a landlord you trust with Venmo, Zelle, or another P2P app, but don’t use this payment method to secure an apartment or pay a deposit.

For more information

Read tips and scam alerts on our Moving home page. For additional tips, review the BBB Scam Alert: Avoid peer-to-peer payment scams on Paypal, Zelle, Venmo, and others.

You can also find some excellent tips at BBB Tips: 10 Steps to avoid scams.

If you’ve been the victim of a rental scam, use your experience to help others avoid falling prey by reporting it at BBB.org/ScamTracker.

For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2021, people turned to BBB more than 200 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 6.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on 25,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. There are local, independent BBBs across the United States, Canada and Mexico, including BBB Serving Wisconsin which was founded in 1939 and serves the state of Wisconsin.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.