STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- This week, the NYPD's 123rd Precinct sent out a warning on Twitter, after, authorities say, scammers hijacked a listing for a Staten Island house for rent on real estate site Trulia.com.
Trulia offers a list of tips on how to avoid rental scams on its web site:
- The easiest sign of a rental scam is when someone asks you to wire money via Western Union or Moneygram. Scammers usually ask for a deposit or first month's rent before you even see the property. Don't send money for whatever reason.
- The owner is out of the country on a mission, job opportunity, or military service. Always meet the landlord or agent in-person and at the property. If they can't meet you there or show you the property, then it's possibly a scam. Good idea is to always have a friend or family member with you.
- The listing is significantly less than nearby similar properties. Beware. If it seems too good to be true, then chances are that it's a scam.
- Emails from scammers are often littered with grammatical mistakes and typos. If the email is difficult to read, lengthy, or includes a sad story, then it's possibly a scam.
- Research the email address and phone number of the landlord or owner on Google. You might find that someone else has already posted a report on this individual.
- Don't fill out an application until you've seen the property. Some apartment communities will offer legitimate applications via a property's website, but don't submit an application with personal information until you've verified the property exists.
- Never, under any circumstances, send money to anyone without securing a lease and confirming the property manager has legal right to rent the property.