It’s no secret that technology has revolutionized the process of renting, whether for short-term vacations or long-term tenancy. Innovators such as Airbnb and Vrbo have vastly expanded the range of choices for travelers, and seeking a new apartment is as easy as picking up your smartphone.
With apartments.com, hotpads.com, craigslist and many more, a prospective tenant can conveniently scroll through available apartments, condominiums and houses, sorting by location, size and price. But as with many other aspects of the digital world, there is a dark side as well.
Sophisticated technology has bred sophisticated scams. Many of these scams are particularly heartless, as they target people who are often experiencing the high stress of finding a place to live in a short period of time. The scammers offer rental units that seem too good to be true, but they know that many people will want to believe they’ve discovered a hidden gem.
Real estate investment professional Ami Reiss follows developments in the rental market closely, in his home base of Montreal and across North America. As founder of Reiss Management, he acquires and manages rental properties throughout Quebec. He’s observed how scammers prey on prospective tenants by using the tools of technology.
Reiss explains that many of these scammers comb through legitimate sites, copying photos and text from real rental posts. Furnished units with lots of online pictures are particular favorites. Using these words and images, they create their own listing. Because rental sites don’t devote much time or energy to screening advertisers, the fake listing of the scammers typically has little trouble being posted, he says.
Some of these fake posts are well-written and believable; others immediately give off a wealthy-prince-seeking-bank-acount vibe. Many require closer scrutiny to unmask the scam. One of many examples of this is a recent post on craigslist that advertised a house at a rate 50 percent lower than comparable rental properties in the area. The photos were spectacular, and the prose was compelling. For those who answered the ad, this was the actual reply they quickly received from the “homeowner”:
I am the owner of the property you inquired about (Feel free to verify from property records) … As a homeowner, I would like it if my tenant can be able to pay 6 month’s to 1 year rent upfront and I can waive the security deposit in such a position.
I want to apologize for not being able to give a tour of the property at the moment because of my Health issue which actually got me relocated out of the city because my daughter wants to have the privilege of looking after me.
I understand how important it is to do a walk-through of the house before renting it, but my Health issue, which actually got me relocated out of the city because my daughter wants to have the privilege of looking after me, will not give me the chance of giving you a tour in-person.
I am currently in Tampa Florida awaiting a surgery for Chondrosarcoma Cancer (Bone Cancer) at The Cancer Treatment Center. So let me know if you will be willing to work with me despite my absence.
I was actually working with a realtor earlier but noticed they increased the rent more than I expected so I told them am going to get a new tenant myself because the way they increased the rent and deposit, the renters can’t afford it and it can even scare tenants away more so, with that act, the house will be vacant for long.
Kindly drive by the property and have a satisfying view from the outside and to confirm location of the property. Then if you are interested in working with me despite my absence, Kindly fill out the attached application form and send it back for review along with the required documents (copy of pay stub, your credit score or credit report and any Government ID).
Applications are screened on a first come, first serve basis so I will implore you to submit your application as soon as you can so as not to miss this lovely opportunity.
According to Ami Reiss, there are several major warning signs in this pitch. The awkward phrasing is one clue. The offer to waive a security deposit if a full year’s rent is paid up front is a huge alarm bell. And note how the scammer explains away his or her inability to provide an opportunity to view the house. There’s not just an excuse, but a whole backstory. The immediate request for personal information and documents is another flashing warning light.
Prospective tenants who were prudent enough to perform due diligence soon discovered that the exact photos were posted on another rental site, but with a much higher monthly rent listed for the property.
That home was the only legitimate listing. The half-price version was too good to be true – and, in the end, was a “lovely opportunity” only for the scammer.
