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Rental Fraud

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS THAT THIS IS A SCAM?

As a renter:

You are moving to a new city, and agree to rent an apartment or house without physically visiting the building yet. The landlord demands a security deposit and first month’s rent, but you are unable to contact the landlord after you send along these payments.

You move into a new apartment or house, and soon receive an eviction notice because the building or home is in foreclosure.

As a landlord:

You rent an apartment or house to a tenant without conducting a background check. The tenant is consistently late on the rent and causes excessive damage to the unit when he/she moves out. However, you are unable to reach the tenant to recoup the damages to the apartment or other delinquent payments.


HOW CAN CONSUMERS PROTECT THEMSELVES?\

As a renter:

Do not pay a security deposit or any rent until you’ve walked through the unit in person.
Research the neighborhood or area that you plan to live in and find out how much apartments usually cost. Resist the temptation to hastily agree to an apartment or house that seems too good to be true – it probably is.
Do not provide any personal information, which might be requested on a rental application, until you’re sure that the apartment and the landlord are legitimate.

As a landlord:

Conduct thorough background and credit checks on possible tenants. This will help avoid renting to past criminals or those with unstable financial history. These checks will also help to verify to identity of the tenant, which can also be fraudulent.


HOW TO REPORT IF YOU'VE BEEN A VICTIM

Local police department: Report all stolen money immediately to your local police department. You should also report any fraudulent documents or information from potential tenants. Click here to obtain the contact information for your local police department.





For more information on preventing homeowner and rental fraud, visit these Web sites:

Federal Trade Commission – Foreclosure rescue scam

Freddie Mac – Mortgage fraud

Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force – Mortgage, Loan and Lending Fraud

Ohio Attorney General’s office – Home repair fraud

www.rentalfraud.org