Steps You Can Take To Protect Yourself From Scams
Check the address.
Verify the address is real via Google or other listing sites and ensure the apartment photos shown match the exact apartment you will rent (no magazine photos or stock photos).
View the apartment in-person.
Make sure the space you see is the exact apartment listed on the lease. Arrive earlier than your program start to do an apartment search.
Don't send money in advance.
This includes wiring money, sending a cashier’s check or money order, or using Western Union and Pay Pal, among others. Never share your personal information or bank account information without reviewing a lease. View the apartment, submit your application materials, carefully review the lease, and then make a deposit once everything checks out.
Research to make sure that the person trying to rent to you is legally allowed to do so.
Watch out for people who claim to be landlords. If their emails have strange spelling, poor grammar, or odd capitalization, they might not be who they say they are. Their communication should be professional and prompt—ensure they have a legitimate phone number and email address, ideally with public information of their leasing history through reviews, various online housing websites, or otherwise. Meetings should take place in an office or within the apartment you’ll be renting.
If a deal is too good to be true (ex: $400/month in Manhattan), it probably is a scam. You can also compare the amount of rent you are paying with the average rent of the neighborhood with RentHop's RentCompare tool.
Ask for your prospective landlord's references.
If renting from a private individual (someone who claims to own the complex or unit; not a broker, real estate company, or housing site), ask to be put in touch with prior tenants who can vouch for the apartment and ask about previous tenants’ experiences. Legitimate landlords are usually willing to do this. Search public records online to ensure the person is the actual property owner.
Check for copied or cloned images of the apartment.
Do a reverse Google image search by right-clicking an image to make sure the images of the apartment listing are unique. If the same images are listed in different postings, the photos are most likely not of the actual apartment.
Thoroughly read the reviews of the host, if renting through AirBnb.
Scammers may try to inflate their rating by asking family and friends to leave glowing reviews on their property to cover up negative or poor reviews. Be aware of listings which have a large number of short, repetitive reviews; pay close attention to the detailed and verified reviews from past guests; and take the time to research the host and the property.
Listen to this person's experience getting scammed, and his tips and tricks for avoiding scams.
Renting a room or apartment with AirBnB? Beware these Common Scams:
You rent an apartment on AirBnb, and just before arrival the host cancels and offers you an inferior (and sometimes more expensive) replacement. Since you have already accepted the payment, you feel forced to accept the switch and then feel unable to report the scam since you technically accepted the replacement.
How to Avoid: Make sure you thoroughly research the apartment, the host, and the listing, and maintain communication on the AirBnB platform. Report anything suspicious to AirBnB.
The host asks you to make a payment outside of the AirBnB platform, for anything from external property taxes, a security deposit, or other fee.
How to Avoid: Only make payments through AirBnB's platform. Never send money outside of the platform, and report anyone who requests external payment to AirBnB immediately. Never share your personal or financial information with hosts outside of the platform.
The host accuses you of damaging the apartment after you leave and requests additional payment.
How to Avoid: Take pictures & videos of the condition of your AirBnB when you arrive, and report any existing damage to your host immediately. Make sure you communicate with the host through the AirBnB platform to document your conversation, and make sure you respond to any requests for additional payment for damage with evidence.
The host suggests that they speak more about the details of renting the apartment offline, or outside of the AirBnB platform.
How to Avoid: Only communicate on the AirBnB platform, and report anything suspicious to AirBnB immediately.
The host has the same property listed multiple times at various price ranges. They cancel bookings at the lower price range if the higher-priced one gets booked.
How to Avoid: Take a look at offers without the price filter and report suspicious listings to AirBnB immediately.
You find a room at an incredible deal that seems too good to be true. Once you have committed to renting the apartment, the host inflates the price of the rental.
How to Avoid: Take a look at the average pricing of similar properties in the area, and be skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true. Never book anything outside of the AirBnB platform, and report anything suspicious to the company immediately.
Browse these sites for more information on avoiding AirBnB scams:
How Do I File a Complaint or Report Scams?
Report a scam to the NYPD and to the Federal Trade Commission.
Call or text 311 to report a poor housing condition. 311 is New York’s main source of government information and non-emergency services. You can file a complaint online at nyc.gov/311. You might call 311 if your landlord has not helped you with the following:
You do not have hot water or heat.
You have bed bugs, rodents, mold, lighting/electrical/plumbing issues, or unsanitary and unsafe conditions.
Discrimination/harassment from landlord.
Your apartment does not have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Read more about NYC Housing Rules and Regulations for NYC Tenants here.