Here at I Am The Agent, it’s crucial to us that our clients remain protected online, especially when looking for a new property to rent. Unfortunately it’s come to our attention that a brand new scam has taken off in recent weeks, designed to encourage unsuspecting tenants to part with huge deposits for properties that don’t seem to exist.

Using a site that looks very similar to AirBnb, and convincing users that AirBnb itself is ‘guaranteeing’ the transaction, the scammers are attempting to lure in those who seek luxurious properties at affordable prices with this illegal scam. So far we’ve found evidence of this scam operating in Liverpool and London – but there could be dozens of other perpetrators across the country.

The scam operates as follows. Scammers list stunning properties for rent at very low prices to lure in potential tenants who can’t believe their luck. We’ve seen the properties listed on various online estate agencies and popular property portals.

When the tenants try to arrange to view the property, the scammers insist that this isn’t currently possible because they’re not in the vicinity of the property – but if the potential tenants simply send over a three-month deposit through their ‘secure’ system, they can arrange a viewing afterwards. If they don’t like anything about the property, they get their deposit back. Sounds simple, right?

Unfortunately, there is no property, and there is no lease. Scammers convince the tenants that the transactions for the deposits are approved and monitored by AirBnb before sending them to a mock-up payment page which is 100% fake. Once they have three months’ worth of rent from the potential tenant, they scarper, with no trace left behind.

We’ve heard of numerous instances where this scam has been pulled off, and we want to put a stop to it happening in the future. We’ve put together a few tips for potential tenants looking for a new property to rent:

·         Don’t ever send money to landlords or agents if you haven’t viewed the property yet. Only part with your money if you’ve viewed the property and are happy to put a deposit down on it.

·         Ask for identification and other credentials to ensure the landlord is who he or she claimed. A legitimate, professional landlord will have no qualms about showing you their ID.

·         Always request a tenancy agreement before you part with security deposits and rent. You don’t want to put a deposit down without checking what you’re signing up for.

·         Always verify the status of websites that you’re directed to. Conduct a WHOIS domain lookup, examine the page for grammatical errors, and see if the page has any contact details or links to other verified pages. Many scammers go through the trouble of creating forms or pages designed to mimic popular, trusted websites, so be thorough in your verification, and if you’re not sure – ask!

·         If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. In today’s highly competitive property market, the likelihood of finding luxury properties at incredibly low prices is scarce. If you think you’re getting too much of a good deal, you might want to consider the possibility that you’re being scammed. 

·         Stay safe by using an established online letting agent – look at the site, Google them, look at reviews and if in doubt, call.