Summertime is the most popular time to move, but local consumer advocates warn it’s also a popular time for scammers to target renters.
“Some scams are very cyclical. And this one is seasonal,” said Kristen Johnson, Director of Communications with Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut, “Between May and August, we see the most amount of moving and rental scams.”
“A lot of times the scammers who are pretending to be landlords will make up some excuse of why they can't show you the property in person,” Johnson said. “But what they're really doing is they're stealing pictures of real homes and real apartments, and they're pretending that they're available to people. And these people are losing thousands of dollars because of it.”
Nationally, over 230 rental scams have been reported this year, up from the same time last year. Victims report losing an average of $550.“We are more susceptible,” said Johnson. “And scammers know that when people are in the midst of moving they don’t always have time to do the necessary research.”Better Business Bureau offers these tips:
If you can’t see the property in person, try to find someone you trust to go and confirm the unit is what’s being advertised online.
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