Avoiding Rental Scams

The Boston Police Department has issued a Community Alert on how to recognize rental scams, how to protect yourself, and ways to report scammers.

See below for additional scam red flags, safety tips and real-life examples.

🚩Red Flags to Watch Out For

  • Suspiciously Low Rent: If the price seems unusually low for the area, it’s often a sign of a scam.
  • Urgency to Sign or Pay: Scammers may pressure you to act fast, creating a false sense of urgency to sign a lease or make a payment.
  • Inconsistent Listing Details: Be wary of errors or contradictions in the listing, such as mismatched photos, descriptions, or contact information.
  • Requests for Wire Transfers: Especially if the transfer is international, this is a serious red flag. Legitimate landlords typically don’t ask for wire transfers.
  • Demand for Payment Before Viewing: Never pay any money before you’ve had the chance to see the property in person or via a verified video tour.
  • Unable/Unwilling to Meet: If the landlord refuses to meet you in person or show the property, proceed with caution. Scammers often use dramatic stories or claim they are abroad as an excuse for being unavailable.
  • Claiming Affiliation: Scammers might falsely claim to be affiliated with your university or the off-campus housing website.
  • No Background or Credit Check: A legitimate landlord will usually require a background or credit check before approving a tenant.

✅Tips to Stay Safe

  • Don’t Pay Before Signing: A landlord should never expect payment without a signed lease agreement.
  • Tour the Property: If you can’t visit in-person, have a friend tour the property for you, or request a video tour.
  • Verify the Address: Verify that the property actually exists and that the photos match up. You can also use Google Images to check if the listing's photos are associated with any other rental listings (from a different property), in which case they may be stolen.
  • Research the Landlord: A quick online search can show if the property is actually for rent and if the landlord's name has been associated with any scams in the past.

Real-life Rental Scams

Fake owner allegedly located in the UK provides overly detailed story on why the unit is available and why she does not live in the U.S.:

From: Ella Waddy <ellawaddy@gmail.com>

Date: Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 1:55 PM

Subject: Re: Apartments.com lead for

To: "tanastrout@gmail.com" <tanastrout@gmail.com>

Hello There,

I am happy to let you know that my apartment is presently available even for long and short term periods. I am Ella Waddy, the owner of the apartment. I bought this apartment for my daughter during her studies in US, but now she's back home (London/United Kingdom) permanently, so I'm renting the place for unlimited time.

The flat is exactly like in the pictures . The utilities (cold/hot water, electricity, wireless broadband Internet, digital TV, 1 parking spot, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, washing machine, etc.) are INCLUDED in the price of $1,500 per month and one month deposit is also $1,500 and you get it back, once you decide to leave the apartment (with a 30 days notice). As for me, you can rest assured that I will never ask you to leave the apartment. My daughter is building her live here, and I am too old to move to US, so we won't disturb you.

Before we go any further I would like to know a little something about you, like how many persons you intend to live in the apartment, and for how long.

All the best from London,

Ella Waddy

Landlord who cannot deal face to face because he lives in the UK says Airbnb agent will hold a refundable deposit and give renter an opportunity to inspect the apartment:

From: William Jackson <william.jackson2099@gmail.com <mailto: william.jackson2099@gmail.com>>

Date: May 12, 2016 at 12:18:13 PM PDT

To: Melanie Murphy <Melaniemurphy000@hotmail.com <mailto: Melaniemurphy000@hotmail.com>>

Subject: Re: Apartments.com lead for

Thank you for your reply!

As I said, I'm in United Kingdom and cannot be present to deal face to face.

I can make arrangements to rent the apartment from United Kingdom through Airbnb. com<http://airbnb. com> which is an international company dealing specifically in rentals apartments, I used it in the past and I was very pleased.

I will explain how it works. If you decide to proceed with this transaction, I will need your phone number, full name, full address and email where you want to receive the keys and the temporary contract. Then I will go at Airbnb.com<http://airbnb.com> company from United Kingdom provide them your informations, and they will start the process right away in US. Next you will receive a notification message from them containing all the instructions that you need to follow in order to complete the process and receive the keys.

Regarding the Payment, you will be instructed to do the deposit to an agent from Airbnb.com<http://airbnb. com>, they will hold and insure your money until you check the apartment and decide if you want to rent the place or not. You have to pay $1,200 + $1,200 = $2,400, if you will not be satisfied with the apartment the total amount will be refunded in same day after your request. You will be given a 2 days inspection period from the day you receive the keys and contract. Durring this period you can take a decision. If you like the apartment then we will make a direct rental contract. As for the monthly payment are done directly to my bank account from United Kingdom at the beginning or end of month, at your convenience.

I look forward hearing back from you.

William Jackson