Steering Clear Of The Rental Scams - Dc Fawcett

Scams with regard to the rental are as old as the relationship between landlord and tenant.  Particularly, the most recurring scam was when the landlords retained the security deposits of the tenant.  This is often done with much liberty.  Many laws have emerged to curb these scandals.

The world is much smaller now, and the technology has become widespread.  The relationship between the landlord and the tenant has become anonymous.  The chance of rampant fraud has not been this much greater.  As one observes, the crises with regard to housing, resulting in number of empty property has given the chance that criminals cannot just ignore.

The existing rental scams

The most rampant rental scam that we have seen in the last couple of years is people with no right to leasing of a property leasing it to a probable tenant and getting away with the security deposit, rent for the first month, and during times even the prepaid rent.

Another existing scam is the charging of possible tenant fees for background verification and getting away with that money.  The particular fee for background check is about $50, an amount with which the thief could get away with.

Sophisticated frauds that are in the scenario

The simplest frauds involve copying of the legal apartment ads from the internet and posting it again with their contact information.  When a possible tenant approaches the poster of the advertisement, he gives excuses for not retaining access to the property and demands that the tenant rent it without the site being seen.  Or, he demands that the deposit be paid.  Once the scammer retains the money, he goes missing.

There are some more complicated scams in which the criminal has direct access to the apartment.  The huge number of foreclosures has resulted in vacant buildings being used for fraudulent purposes.  The criminal goes for a break into the building and he replaces the locks.  He is actually able to show the apartment to the possible renters.  There have been cases where the tenant moved in, and then be told that the property is not owned by the scammer.

Preventing Fraud:

Prevention of the most sophisticated scams could be difficult, but there are some tips to assist in minimizing the danger. Be Cautious of Foreclosure Scam

Never go for cash dealing:

The weakest point in most of the fraudulent schemes is the reception of untraceable payment.  Those who resort to sophisticated scams know that police can easily track down the common kinds of payment putting the scammer in risk of arrest.  Most of the scammers insist that the payment be made to a difficult to trace form.  It is to be noted that the tenant should never pay the cash to the landlord for anything.  This is particularly applicable for a security deposit and first month rent.  The tenant should also avoid wiring the money.

Legal landlords will generally accept the regular checks or those from the cashier.  Those are easier for the police to trace if a culprit disappears with the money.  Even if the landlord is not a scammer, those landlords who demand only cash are very problematic.

Any attempt made by the landlord to be anonymous should be seen as a discouraging factor.  Even in the most conducive scenario, the person may be difficult to reach if there are any repairs to be made.

What should be done if one has been scammed?

Prevention is always better than cure.  It is the choicest option to prevent scams than endeavoring to come out of a fraudulent scheme.  In majority of the cases, one will never see his money again and the culprit may disappear.

• If you have become the victim of a scam, a police report has to be given and full details furnished.
• One has to notify the Alderman for the district, and it is to be noted that many aldermen are as much active in their wards as possible. They will make the police take action.
• One has to contact the Illinois Attorney General, and it is to be noted that the office holds responsibility for the protection of consumer.
• One has to contact an attorney or the rights agency for the tenant. One is often aware of the existing scams and can try to avoid becoming a victim of scam.

Dc Fawcett, a real estate icon and the founder of Virtual Real Estate Investing Club, has suggestions in his blogs to make people wary of the scammers. One could skim through the blogs by Dc Fawcett so that he or she gets a fine idea regarding the danger of scams.