JM Chase First National Real Estate is here to catch you before you fall into traps!
Rental listings are a popular target for scammers. Prospective tenants are used to having personal details at the ready for applications, expect to be asked some questions, and ultimately, expect to hand over some money.
Don't be put off by scammers, there are plenty offline too, all you need to know is how to guard against them!! Here's how........
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| BE ALERT, BE VARY, BE THOROUGH |
- If it's too good to be true, it most probably is
- Landlord is overseas
- You're asked to handover money before anything else happens
- You're given too many excuses as to why you may not view the property
- If the photos look abit "off" (eg: blurry), it most likely was stolen from other websites
- The ad was clumsily composed
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF???
- Inspect the property
- Keep copy of emails or other correspondence exchanged with the landlord
- Do thorough research about the property
(NOTE: Even fancy and professional looking websites can be fake)
- Lay your own groundwork with money and finances. Do not consent to a money transfer - too high a risk, too high a cost to pay.
- Listen to your gut instincts, they are often right!
- Do your own independent research and checking references! Do not only rely on the contacts given by your landlord
YOU'VE BEEN TARGETED...... WHAT TO DO????
Right away! Contact ACCC's Infocentre on 1300 302 502 or SCAMwatch (via their report a scam page).
Pass on everything you can recall about the incident. Take a screen grab
of the ad if you can (if it's still live and online) and advise the
authorities of anything you've told the scammer.
You should also report it to the website you found it on. There may be a
Report button on the listing, otherwise send them an email or call.
They will usually have a plan for dealing with these types of listings
which includes taking it offline and investigating further. Don't let
other users of that website fall victim too.
If you sent money through a wire service, contact the service immediately and ask them to stop the transfer.
If you have given anyone your personal or financial details, advise the
authorities immediately, and contact your financial institutions to
alert them your accounts have been compromised.
For comprehensive information about scams and the law in Australia, visit SCAMwatch.
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