A person tells you they are out of the country and can’t show you an apartment.

Webunfortunately, common rental scams have become so prevalent that there are trends renters have started seeing.

Here’s how to avoid getting scammed while finding your next apartment or home.

If so, is there a legitimate reason for the extra companion?

Recommended for you

Weba rental scam is when someone deceptively uses rental property listings to gain access to someone else’s personal information or finances.

If someone lives in the unit now, they are usually the best source of information about the apartment and landlord.

We asked the renters surveyed to categorize their fraud experiences, and we ranked these common types of rental fraud schemes from most common to least common:

Check ownership and licensing of landlord/property manager.

Find out how to avoid 10 common rental scams and red flags to look out for when searching for a rental home.

Here are the ten most common signs of rental scams to look out for.

Rental fraud can occur in a variety of ways.

Phone numbers alone can be spoofed, so corroborate authenticity with supplemental info.

We’ve heard about these rental scams happening two ways:

Does the prospect come alone to view your property?

Webrental scams target renters with fake listings, fraudulent leases, and more.

Follow these steps when searching for an apartment to avoid being the victim of a potential rental scam.

Webknowing common types of rental fraud is the best way to avoid scams.

Webhow to avoid rental scams.

If possible, try speaking with the current tenants.

Webkeep a sharp eye on details and avoid the scam:

You may also like

Webhere are ways to spot and avoid rental scams.

Scammers use legitimate rental listings but claim to be the landlord (but they’re not), or they make up listings for places that either aren’t for.

If you have fallen victim to a rental scam, however, resources are listed below to help you reclaim your losses.

Webquick tips to avoid rental scams when you’re searching for a rental.

Scammers can trick people into signing fake rental leases or carry out a security deposit scam, where they ask for payments for properties that aren’t available.

Webrental scams can be hard to spot.

Webwe have compiled the following guide to common signs of fraudulent rental listings to help you avoid these scams.