WASHINGTON – The Washington Police Department has issued a warning about rental scams.
Officials say the department has received several calls about someone trying to rent out houses that they do not own.
Police say if you are inquiring about a house for rent, verify the ownership of the house before entering into any sort of financial agreement, and do NOT send any money prior to conducting your own fact verification process.
Here are some tips to help you avoid rental scams:
- Do an online search of the rental company. Enter its name plus words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” If you find bad reviews, you may want to look elsewhere.
- Got a good vibe? Rental home listings may appear in several places, including rental company websites and online listing services like Zillow, Trulia, or Craigslist. If you see a rental company’s listing on one of those online listing services, do a search of the home’s address to make sure it appears on the rental company’s website. If it doesn’t, it may be a scam.
- Compare prices. Is the rent a lot less than comparable rentals? That could be a red flag.
- Take a tour. Ask for identification. Rental agents should have photo ID badges issued by the company that owns or manages the property.
- Nothing sketchy yet? Apply through the rental company, licensed real estate professional, or listings website.
- Before you sign a lease, look for signs at the rental with the name of the property owner or manager. Call that company before making a deal with anyone.
- Never pay with cash, wire transfers, or gift cards. If anyone tells you to pay this way, it’s a sure sign of a scam. Wiring money is like sending cash — once you send it, you have no way to get it back. As for gift cards, they’re for gifts, NOT for payments.
If you spot a rental scam, report it to local law enforcement and the FTC.
For more tips, see Rental Listing Scams. Want to avoid the latest rip-offs? Sign up for free consumer alerts from the FTC at ftc.gov/subscribe.
