Rental Scams: The Dark Side Of Online Property Listings

According to ApartmentList.com an estimated 43% of all renters suspect they've seen fraudulent rental ads and over 5.2 million have actually lost money to rental scams. And over a third of those have lost over $1000, usually in rent and security deposits. While online listings have made searching for property easier, they've also made it easier for fraudsters as well. These scams typically take the form of copying an authentic listing and altering the details to direct you to the fraudster instead of the person who created the listing in the first place. However, sometimes they just invent a totally fictitious property for their fake ad.