News & Events

Renter alert: Scams on the rise

The red-hot rental market in Calgary has made it tough for renters to find adequate accommodation, and it became even more difficult with landlord scams beginning to resurface. With the “landlords” existing only online, renters find too-good-to-be-true prices and are asked to submit a significant deposit without first seeing the unit. All the red flags are there, but that does not deter the potential scammer.

Often, the phony ads simply copy the legitimate ones and provide different contact information. Watchdog agencies are aware of the existence of these fakes, and the Calgary Rental Association warns potential renters to watch out for the warning signs:

• Rent that is well below market value
• Landlord is not available to meet in person
• Deposit is requested by email or wire transfer
• Emails have poor English, indicating scammers are out of the country

In general, renters are advised to stay with respected and established rental companies located in Calgary, with rental agents that are more than happy to meet in person.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1075459/tight-housing-market-fuels-rental-scams/