You are scroll through what seems to be an endless amount of properties through different sites, and whether you are a firm believer in Craigslist or not, there are countless alarming things to look out for when dealing with a scammer. Here are a few ways to avoid giving out your information to the wrong person:

Price is Way Too Low Rental Market

When it comes down to the price, it usually is a large indication when the rental is way below the average rental price in that area. And you might be wondering, what the average rental prices are in the market today. And really it depends on what area you are looking, the number of rooms and bathrooms, and space. Also, when a landlord remodels or renovates, or the place offers amenities, the price will be a lot higher to comparable apartments in that area.

Landlord Isn’t Able to Meet You Face-to-face Because He or She is Away in Business

First off, I want to say that this is a trick that many scammers are pulling today. Claiming they are “out of town” that when you send them a deposit, they will send you the keys. It is a known fact to always, always, always set-up a meet-and-greet and makes sure you meet the landlord face-to-face. This way you can check out the property, the area, and see whether or not you see yourself living there.

Too Good Too Be True

Sometimes it is understandable the landlord does not post photos because the apartment is not yet available. However, it does not hurt to ask. Another thing to really watch for is to really see the pictures that are posted, and when the pixels are way off, or it looks almost like they stole the photo from a web site, it usually sets off alarm bells. That is another good reason asking for more photos really helps avoid running into these scammers tricks.

Location Is Nowhere to be Seen

Knowing the property address is vital when looking for property to live in. So when the landlord is unable to give you that information, or the exact address, that sends up some red flags.

Fake Credit Check

Sometimes when the landlord insists that your credit score doesn’t matter and go to this site to get your credit check, they are in actuality working for the credit score company and generating leads. Therefore, do not rent or send any information until you have seen the actual property and met with the landlord. These listings are also unusual for the area, as a “condo” or a “cottage” and they use neighborhood names that do not actually exist.

E-mail Reply is Automated or Out of the Country

Also, from my own personal experience, I had noticed that the E-mail sent back usually happens immediately, and is at times is an automated E-mail reply. It comes from a personal E-mail that is usually associated with a fake name.

Also, do your own research. Copying and pasting the E-mail into the Google search bar to find that person’s name is either from a deceased person or that E-mail simply does not exist, also raises red flags. And another common trait I find is that they use words such as “I” and have it written as “i”, not using proper capitalization.