AARP Virginia warns of rental housing scams
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Renting a home or apartment is a big expense but it could be an even bigger one if the rental is a scam.
AARP Virginia is warning local residents to be aware of scams through which criminals copy legitimate listings and look for easy cash by collecting the first month’s rent, deposit, and application fees and then bolt before handing over the keys.
Numerous versions of rental frauds take place – some are bait-and-switch, while others attempt to rent out properties that are already leased or otherwise unavailable.
Such fake rental schemes happen every year and cost would-be renters hundreds or even thousands of dollars. When renting a home or apartment, AARP Virginia officials urge, watch out for scammers who ask you to sign before seeing anything or request payment via wire transfer, peer to peer apps or cash.
For details or help with a fraud encounter, visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline at 1-877-908-3360 and speak to trained staffers or volunteers.
