The top 6 ways to get screwed by an internet apartment ad
Younger readers may be surprised to learn that getting tricked on the internet long predates online-dating sites. Here we explore one possible ‘ground-zero’ of internet hustles: online real estate ads.
At Wayhome, helping people see past the nonsense of internet real estate ads is how we keep the lights on, so we try to stay up-to-date on all the latest scams & hustles. We’ve written before about apartment listings that over-promise & fail to deliver, but today we’re going to cover listings of a more nefarious bent.
Before we get started, if you’re the type of apartment-shopper who doesn’t like to get screwed, we’ve got good news. Today, we released a new feature: Wayhome Scam Alerts. It’s pretty simple: if one of our users finds something fishy in a real estate listing, or in dealing with an agent/landlord, we alert other users. We’re building Wayhome to help people help each other, and we think Scam Alerts are a great step in that direction.
So, give it a shot. In the meantime, we’ve written a non-exhaustive guide on dodging the hustle while looking for an apartment. It’s written with Boston in mind, but the advice ought to be universal.
Here are some common markers that an apartment listing on the internet isn’t the home of your dreams:
The offer is too good to be true
You’ve seen these before: the $1,500 studio in a neighborhood where parking spaces are $2k. Some are more obvious than others, but that’s often intentional— you’ll clearly notice those as scams, just maybe, less wary of the more reasonably priced scams. Good deals do come along, but most of the time “too good to be true” is.
The poster asks you to email them at another address
This could be on the up-and-up, but if you’re on a site that uses anonymous email addresses to protect privacy, this might be a hustle. Once you email them at another address, they’ll see your real email address. By itself, this probably isn’t a huge deal, but since it could be part of a bigger con, be wary of pushy posters.
Pictures of some other place
If the description says ‘hardwood floors,’ but the pictures say ‘shag carpets,’ you should probably say ‘pass.’
They’re out of town indefinitely
Maybe they’re out of town on work, or for a family emergency, but either way: long-distance relationships just don’t work. Of course this happens in non-scam situations, but you’re about to drop 30% of your annual income on a place — why risk it?
“I’ll need a deposit before I can show you the place”
In most states, you shouldn’t have to cough-up a dime until you’re ready to sign. According to the MA Tenants’ Rights guide:
Do not put money down unless you are sure you want the apartment. Although you may be legally entitled to the return of your money up until the landlord formally accepts you as a tenant, that money may be difficult to recover.
They never take your calls
Some scammers will go so far as to use fake numbers that make it seem like they’re from the area, but they rarely take phone calls and usually respond only by SMS. Don’t be afraid to demand a call or, if you’re ready to make a deal, a copy of their photo ID.
Following these tips ought to help (and using Wayhome will definitely help) avoid getting hustled, until the online apartments game gets its act together, you’ll still need to tread carefully.
Have you been burned by one of the above M.O.s? Is there some scam we missed? Drop us a note or comment below, we’d love to hear about it.
Further reading
“Things Renters Should Know when Dealing with a Real Estate Agent” — MA Consumer Affairs Div.
“How to avoid apartment scams” — City of Boston.
