BOSTON (WHDH) - Bay State officials are warning the public to beware of an uptick in apartment leasing scams amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
There has been a jump in complaints from prospective tenants, property management companies, and real estate agents about scams involving fake apartment listings being posted online since the start of the pandemic, according to a joint statement issued by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and the Greater Boston Real Estate Board.
Scammers have been reportedly using photos from real listings of homes for rent or sale, and at times using the contact information of an actual listing agent or management company, and then posting them on Craigslist or other online platforms.
The scammers then solicit deposits through the ads to be sent to them directly from tenants, who end up not actually securing an apartment to lease because of the fraudulent nature of the ads, according to Healey.
“This scam is the rental market equivalent of catfishing, and while it’s not new, we want the public to be aware of the increased risks during the pandemic,” Healey said. “Access to safe and reliable housing is essential to the vitality of our communities and we’ll continue to partner with stakeholders to ensure our residents are not losing money or left without a place to live.”
Greg Vasil, CEO of GBREB, said the “heartless” scams are “career damaging to hard working real estate professionals, and unscrupulous to consumers.”
To avoid following victim to scammers, Healey and Vasil shared the following advice:
- Thorough inspection: Whenever possible, inspect an apartment carefully before signing a lease or paying a deposit.
- Use a broker: If you must rent an apartment unseen, don’t trust online advertisements—online apartment listings are just too easy to fake. Instead, use a licensed real estate broker or salesperson. You can verify a broker’s license online here.
- Watch for red flags: Keep an eye out for red flags such as poorly written ads, deals that are too good to be true, and requests for cash payment or other untraceable methods.
- Only make secure payments: Never send a wire transfer, cashier’s check, or funds transfer to someone you’ve only met online. If they turn out to be a scammer, you won’t be able to get your money back.
- Protect your personal information: Don’t disclose your SSN or PayPal information to someone you’ve only met online. Meet your landlord in person before agreeing to a background check or ask the landlord to have the background check performed by a licensed real estate broker or salesperson.
- File a complaint: If you are the victim of an online apartment listing scam, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
- Report fraudulent ads: If you’re the owner of a property, realtor or property manager and find that someone else has altered your listing or listed your property for rent, report the fraudulent ad to the website’s point of contact for abuse immediately.
Anyone who believes they have fallen victim to a scam is urged to contact the proper authorities.
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