The tight property market is a golden opportunity for fraudsters. They take advantage of this to post their fraudulent ads on sales and rental platforms. It's vital to remain vigilant to avoid falling into their trap.
How can you spot a scam?
Here are a few signs that should make you suspicious:
- Abnormally low price: If the rent is well below the usual market price, be on your guard.
- Owner abroad: If the so-called owner justifies his absence by a negative past experience and refuses to visit in person; if the owner offers to rent the property via platforms such as TripAdvisor, it's probably a scam.
- Request for personal documents: Be wary if you are asked for a copy of your identity card or passport.
Prevention tips
Follow these tips to avoid falling into the trap:
- Never pay money via unknown platforms. Payments must be made by secure and verifiable means.
- Never rent a property without first visiting it. A property offered without prior viewing is often non-existent or unavailable.
- Never share copies of your identity documents. This could be used for identity fraud.
- Report suspicious adverts directly to the site concerned so that the advert can be withdrawn quickly and prevent other people from falling into the trap.
Have you been scammed?
- If you have lost money or been the victim of extortion, we advise you to report it to the police. You can report it to the local police where you live.
- Contact your bank and/or Card Stop on 078 170 170 if you have passed on banking information, if money disappears from your bank account or if you have transferred money to a fraudster. This way, any fraudulent transactions can be blocked.
