Topic: Tenants Warned about NZ Rental Scams

The Police and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs are warning flat hunters to be on their guard when looking for a new place to live.
With the start of the new year and a new student semester coming up, many students (and non-students) are looking for a new place to live. Scammers will take this opportunity to make sham ads on flat hunting websites - usually advertising a flash home with very cheap rent.
These properties are either fake, or the scammers use pictures and text from recently advertised legitimate properties and fraudulently re-advertise them. If you contact them they then ask for bond and rent money to be wired to them.

Signs that it's a scam

• the property is advertised at a low rent comparatively to the market
• the 'owner' will claim to be overseas, and ask for a deposit and rent money to be sent via a wire transfer
• the 'owner' will be a Reverend or another trustworthy figure of the community

Remember

• never, ever, send money via a wire service
• don't take a property unless you have viewed it, in person, with the owner/agent
• use your common sense and do some research on the market. If something doesn't feel right then it's probably a scam
• if you come across a fake advert, report it immediately to the website owner and report it to Scamwatch. Report a scam here.

Unfortunately, once money has been wired overseas it's virtually impossible to recover, so the best method of protecting yourself from getting scammed is by knowing the signs of a scam.
This scam also operates in reverse, with genuine advertisers of available rooms/flats being contacted by scammers.




From: Scam Alert | Consumer Affairs

More Links
Flat-hunters warned over rental scams | Otago Daily Times Online News Keep Up to Date Local, National New Zealand & International News
Flat hunters warned of online renting scam | New Zealand Police
ScamBusters New Zealand • View topic - Property rental scam

Scammers will take this opportunity to make sham ads on flat hunting websites - usually advertising a flash home with very cheap rent.
These properties are either fake, or the scammers use pictures and text from recently advertised legitimate properties and fraudulently re-advertise them. If you contact them they then ask for bond and rent money to be wired to them.

Some people have little to do.