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How Can I Avoid Housing Scams?

Tips to avoid housing scams and protect your money.

Avoiding Fraudulent Housing

Fraudulent housing schemes take advantage of people who aren’t prepared to identify fraud, especially on the Internet, so you must conduct your housing search carefully. It is highly recommended that you secure short-term housing upon arrival (e.g. a hostel) and conduct your housing search once you are in the U.S. This will allow you to see the property and meet your landlord/lady without requiring you to wire large sums of money to someone you have never met. If you absolutely must secure permanent housing before arriving in the U.S., it is recommended that you look for an established university or residence facility rather than an individual apartment owner.

Please follow the guidelines listed below to protect yourself from fraudulent housing.

Dos

  • Do get a signed lease with the landlord’s full name and contact information.
  • Do a Google search for the landlord and property address. If you find the same ad listed under a different name, that’s a clue it may be a scam.
  • Do talk to former participants and your employer about potential housing.
  • Do request photos of the property and view the property in Google Street View. If you can’t visit an apartment or house yourself, ask someone you trust to go and confirm it’s for rent. If you don’t know someone who can do this, wait until you are in the U.S. so you can visit housing locations yourself.
  • Do be cautious of listings involving an agent or a lawyer or people who say they’re out of the country. Some scammers even create fake keys. Be skeptical, and don’t send money overseas.

Don’ts

  • Don’t wire money to someone you don’t know. There’s never a good reason to wire money to pay a security deposit, application fee, or first month’s rent. Wiring money is the same as sending cash — once you send it, you have no way to get it back.
  • Don’t pay a security deposit or rent before signing a lease or seeing the property. It’s never a good idea to send money to someone you’ve never met in person for an apartment you haven’t seen.
  • Don’t give personal information out including your bank account or credit card numbers or Social Security number.

Check out the following websites for tips on avoiding fraud:

Also read this blog from another InterExchange participant who was the victim of a fraudulent housing offer from an agency in her home country.

Read our guide to Avoiding Fraud section in Safety & Wellness.