File a complaint with the IC3. Protect yourself from rental fraud: Do not send money to anyone advertising rental properties online until you are certain the advertiser is genuine. Emails 3. Do Remodeling Contractor Licenses Matter? But the more people who notify the FTC about a rental scam, the more likely the scam will be stopped and the landlords or impostors behind the scam brought to justice. Report your scam online with the FTC complaint assistant, or by phone at 1-877-382-4357(9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, ET). You can also officially report the questionable auto dealerships to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below: Report To The FTC Here . The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the main agency that collects scam reports. Scammers often advertise rentals that don’t exist or aren’t available to trick people into sending money before they find out the truth. Planning a vacation? It’s never a good idea to send money to someone you’ve never met in person for an apartment you haven’t seen. Following this advice should help you avoid rental scams and find a home you love. It’s important to be cautious when searching for rental deals because, while some rental listing websites will filter and eradicate these rental scams, a few fraudulent listings may still pass through. If you know or have reason to believe that the person or company that scammed you is located in a different country, visit econsumer.gov. What if the rental itself is overseas? Wondering how to report a scam on Craigslist? Rental fraud is a type of advance fee fraud. But if you believe you've become the victim of an apartment rental scam in the United States, the federal government wants to know about it. This increases the chance of scammers being caught and stopped.You should report all types of scams to Action Fraud, the UK's national reporting centre for fraud.Action Fraud can get the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau to investigate scams. Like most Craigslist scams, the scammer posts a false rental ad for a property that they don’t own. Services offering to generate a list of pre-foreclosure or rent-to-own rental properties for clients are another type of rental scam. How to Pursue a Fair Housing Claim Against Your Landlord, Classes Protected Under California Fair Housing Law, Renters' Rights to Heat and Hot Water in NYC Apartments, What to Consider Before Filing a Fair Housing Claim, What Renters Should Know About Apartment Guarantors, How to Find an Apartment Using HotPads.com. You can then select any step by clicking its tab. The list is usually full of sham real estate listings, either fake or expired, and its impossible to get a refund on the sign-up fee. Scammers can swindle hundreds of dollars from you and suddenly vanish without notice. The FTC will enter your complaint into Consumer Sentinel, it's secure, online database that's accessible to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies across the United States and abroad. Some scammers even create fake keys. You can buy a boat, find a date, connect with a missed connection, look for a rental, or (unfortunately) get scammed! Don’t let anyone perform a background or credit check until you’ve met them in person. How to avoid being scammed when searching for an apartment or house for rent in Canada. It's a good idea to report a scam to the FTC, even if you've taken other steps, such as contacting the police. How to Report a Rental Scam A scam meant to cheat you out of money should be reported to the police. It’s shady and unnecessary. 4. The form doesn't require you to proceed in order, so feel free to skip around. 7 Things to Do If You Are the Victim of an Apartment Rental Scam. Even if you’re desperate, that’s exactly who the scammer is looking for. If you’ve experienced rental fraud, you can file a report with your local police department and contact your state consumer protection agency for assistance. Their goal is to get your money before you find out. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, the Spanish version of the FTC Complaint Assistant ("Asistente de Queja de la FTC"). You might be able to get your money back (if the individuals are caught). Contact the website where the ad was posted, too. In other cases, scammers have hijacked the email accounts of property owners on reputable vacation rental websites. Common rental scams to look out for. Few give it a second thought. However, if you do fall victim to a rental scam, you should contact the site the advertisement was on, law enforcement, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) so you can … If you […] Don’t rent or purchase sight-unseen. Being savvy when you’re in search of a rental is well worth the effort. Contact the website where the ad was … You can file a complaint about an apartment scam by phone or online. Demonstrates a poor grasp of … If you find the same ad listed under a different name, that’s a clue it may be a scam. 3. The scammer tries to get money from a prospective tenant for an apartment that the scammer is in no legal position to rent. This agency helps prevent fraudulent, deceptive or unfair business … However, the FTC cautions that if you don't provide your name and certain other information, it may be impossible for the agency to refer, respond to, or investigate your complaint. Vague initial inquiry, e.g. Phone calls 2. If you found the rental ad online, report the scam to the website where it was posted. If you prefer to complete the form in Spanish, visit the Spanish version of the FTC Complaint Assistant ("Asistente de Queja de la FTC"). Poor grammar/spelling. Avoid this one by searching rental listings on Trulia. Many people aren't aware that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the federal consumer protection agency, accepts rental scam complaints. - Report scams immediately and with as much detail as possible (including copies of the communications with the scammer and money transfer details) to: Us by marking the listing as Suspicious on the site and calling 888-658-7368 x2 or emailing [email protected] The FTC accepts complaints about most scams, including these popular ones: 1. According to the study, this was a typical credit report scam. Some scammers hijack a real rental or real estate listing by changing the email address or other contact information, and placing the modified ad on another site. Email or text from someone that is not local to your area. We can help! Reporting to Craigslist Learn how to identify fraudulent listings. Although appealing because of lower price points, these services request either a sign-up fee or a monthly fee of up to $200. Report apartment rental scam in Canada. Demands for you to send money (check, wire transfers, gift cards) 7. Prize, grants, and sweepstakes offers … As you consider issues like size, cost, and location of the rental, also consider this: that rental listing could be a scam. You can send Craigslist the details of a suspected scam here. Ron Leshnower is a licensed real estate attorney and author of several books on housing. Once you've finished viewing the last page of Step 1, you'll see tabs at the top for all five steps. It might involve a lawyer or an “agent” working on their behalf. Moving to a new city? Keep these tips in mind as you work on the form: You may complete the form for yourself, or you may do it on behalf of someone else who has been scammed (such as a family member or friend), with that person's permission. For more information as to what a suspicious listing looks like visit: Rental Listing Scams - Read Before You Search. If you can’t visit an apartment or house yourself, ask someone you trust to go and confirm that it’s for rent, and that it is what was advertised. Once the rental price is agreed upon, the scammer sends a check for the deposit. Imposter scams 5. Rental Scams – Cheating Both Landlords and Tenants. If you decide to jump around, review your work before submitting your completed form. They'll also give you a crime reference number, which can be helpful if you need to tell your bank you've been scammed. Scammers know that finding the right apartment or vacation rental can be hard work, and a seemingly good deal is hard to pass up. Zillow’s Help Center explains how to report a suspicious listing and offers … You can report a scam to the FTC here. Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face to complete the transaction. Provide all the information you can that may assist the FTC in stopping the scam. To report these listings please send the address/url and the details of the listing to [email protected]. Go to BBB.org to view a business’ BBB Business Profile, including complaints and reviews, or to file a complaint or Scam Tracker report. Don’t send money to them overseas. Wiring money is the same as sending cash — once you send it, you have no way to get it back. In addition to setting up a meeting, do a search on the owner and listing. Car Rental Scams: How To Report Them. Either way, be sure to indicate this, for clarity's sake, in Step 1 when completing the form. 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