The Evansville Police Department has received several reports of people falling victim to rental property scams. In these situations, potential renters respond to someone pretending to be a representative for a property on a social media website. The victim then finds out, after sending money through some type of electronic cash app, that the person receiving the money has no authority over the property. In most instances the scammers are not local to Evansville but just mimic legitimate property listings and ask for money to be sent immediately for a rental application fee or a security down payment, etc.
Not all rental scams look the same, but all can cause an unaware potential renter to lose a lot of money. EPD would like to warn everyone about these scams and share information to help you avoid being a victim.
What are the most common signs of a rental scam? Rental scams often have listings with prices that seem too good to be true. The fake “listing agent” or “property manager” usually asks you to wire money or pay in an unusual way. They also might pressure you to make quick decisions, ask for rent or deposit without a signed lease, and they avoid meeting in person.
There are more good tips to avoid rental scams on this webpage: https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/rental-scam-signs-and-how-to-avoid-them/ If you are looking to rent property EPD encourages you to be aware of the signs it’s a scam and be cautious. Do your research and never let someone push you into immediately sending money through a cash app or other unusual way.
If you come across a suspicious rental listing on a website, report it to the website’s administrators or group moderators. Then, notify the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.gov.
If believe you have been the victim of a rental property scam you can contact the Evansville Police Department Financial Crimes Unit at (812) 436-7991.
