Discovering housing in Santa Barbara might be close to not possible for potential tenants, leaving residence seekers and incoming college students determined for any out there models. However Santa Barbara County officers are actually warning residents to be looking out for rental itemizing scams, that are growing each countywide and throughout the nation as scammers develop into extra aggressive of their ways.
The Santa Barbara County Housing and Group Growth Division despatched out a press release Thursday urging potential tenants to “stay vigilant” for rental itemizing scams, which frequently lure victims with the promise of low-cost leases that won’t even be out there.
“Usually, rental listings are copied from official listings by a scammer who then markets the models as their very own, maybe at an interesting hire to be able to entice much more unsuspecting victims,” County Housing and Packages Supervisor Laurie Baker stated within the assertion. “Residence seekers should use excessive warning to keep away from turning into a sufferer of rip-off.”
Rental scams develop into much more frequent when there’s a excessive demand for inexpensive housing, and they are often powerful to distinguish from actual listings, particularly for potential renters from out of city who will not be conversant in town’s present rental costs.
“Seekers ought to analysis the native rental market when looking out in a particular space,” the assertion stated.
Potential tenants can even guarantee listings are official by visiting models in individual, if doable, and acquiring a replica of their lease earlier than making any cost. “Respectable rental house owners and managers are prepared to point out their rental models and supply a replica of their lease agreements earlier than accepting any funds. In addition they could carry out a credit score examine,” Baker stated.
There might be a number of different indicators of a fraudulent itemizing, in keeping with the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC), similar to asking for wire transfers, money, or cash orders, that are most popular cost strategies utilized by scammers since it’s not possible to trace the funds. “Utilizing a bank card, direct cost from a checking account, or a examine are higher choices after verifying the legitimacy of the rental itemizing and proprietor or property supervisor,” the assertion says.
Pretend listings can usually have misspelled phrases or “all caps” lettering; typically, scammers are out of the realm, and can promise to point out tenants the unit or create pretend keys. To keep away from being scammed, the FTC recommends not paying a safety deposit or first month’s hire earlier than seeing the property or signing a lease — even when the lister guarantees to refund the cash if you don’t just like the rental.
For those who assume you’ve got been a sufferer of a fraudulent rental itemizing, you may report the crime with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Web Crime Grievance Heart, Santa Barbara County District Legal professional’s Shopper Safety Unit, and native regulation enforcement. Although the county’s assertion stated that regulation enforcement could have restricted capability to research particular person complaints, the data “could also be useful in figuring out related circumstances.”
Have you ever been scammed by a pretend landlord, or paid cash for an residence that was by no means out there? Share your residence rip-off tales to information@impartial.com by writing 300 phrases or much less about your rental rip-off expertise. Please embody your first and final identify, metropolis, and phone quantity for verification.
