Roger Morph 
Finding a new place to rent is an exciting process, but it can quickly turn into frustration and falling victim to a scam. There are countless rental scams that use online listings and even in-person showings to trick people into getting them in their hooks. If you’re not careful with who you deal with, you can lose thousands of dollars and end up without a home.
The good news is you aren’t helpless when it comes to identifying rental scams. There are clear warning signs that can indicate whether a rental listing is a scam or not. Knowing these warning signs can help you stay safe and avoid getting scammed. In this article, we will talk all about these so that you know how to tell if a rental is a scam.
Read on to get expert insights into protecting yourself every step of the way as you look for a rental property to move in.
How to Tell if a Rental Is a Scam Online
There are numerous rental listings that are intended to scam those looking for their next home. Here are some of the red flags to help you tell if a rental is a scam.
1) The Rent Is Too Good to Be True
If the rent is suspiciously cheaper than the average rent in the same area, it is a big warning sign. Unless there’s an obvious downside to the rental property, such as old flooring or poor plumbing, very low prices typically indicate a scam. After all, all a scammer wants is to grab your attention, and posting a property with a too good to be true rent is one way to go about it.
2) You’re Rushed to Send a Deposit
Once scammers grab your attention with fake listings, and you inquire about the “property,” you will be rushed to send a deposit, which is all a part of the scam intended to get your money. The next thing you know, the scammer deleted the listing and is looking for their next target. Always be on the lookout if you’re pressured into sending money to hold the rental for you.
3) No Application Process
Rental properties typically have an application process – you can’t just go and rent a property on the same day. If the landlord or the real estate agent asks for the first month’s rent and the deposit and tells you that it is yours after that, no questions asked, it is likely a scam.
Genuine landlords always have an application in place and will at least ask about your income and work to protect themselves.
How to Tell if a Rental Is a Scam in Person
Rental scams have become so clever and organized that scammers also set up fake rentals in person. To help you protect yourself, here’s how to tell if a rental is a scam when you visit the place.
1) The Property Doesn’t Match the Listing
If the property doesn’t match the listing after seeing it in person, that’s a red flag. Missing rooms, a different location, and nonexistent amenities can all indicate a problem with the property. While real estate agents always use nice photos to grab attention, overdoing it means that there are other things that might be out to get you.
2) You’re Being Pushed to Pay Now
Just like online listings, in-person rental showings that are pushy in nature, like demanding you to pay a deposit or rent right away, are typically associated with scams. You might be rushed into paying immediately, only to find out that the property belongs to someone else, and the scammer has run away with your money.
3) They Can’t Show You the Rental
If the scammer posing as a real estate agent or landlord can’t show you the property for any reason, whether they forgot the keys or any other reason, be very careful, especially if you’re asked to look through the window or peek inside as if that’s the normal way to check a rental property. This might indicate that they’re using an empty house to scam people.
Find Out if a Rental Is a Scam Now
The above is only a handful of ways to tell if a rental is a scam among the countless tricks scammers use out there. The surest way to tell if a rental is genuine is to run USPeopleSearch’s address search.
It is known for its accuracy and up-to-date results that will give you property ownership information, including the contact details of the owner, so that you can verify everything.
