HGerchikov

This has been mentioned before on threads but it is such a potentially significant issue to new arrivals to Canada that I think it deserves its own thread. Please, please be aware of scams when looking on sites such as Kijiji and Craigslist for houses to rent. I just found one of my recent listings advertised for lease on Craigslist (it has sold and is most definitely not for lease). The most obvious indicator of the scams tends to be the price, this particular house is listed on Craigslist for $1100, it would easily get $2500. These lowlife b****ds are targeting the most vulnerable who in their desperation to find somewhere affordable are prepared to put their common sense on hold. This is not the first time one of my listings has shown up on Craigslist in this way.

Posters on here often ask about renting somewhere from the UK ready for their arrival, unless you can come for a visit and set something up or you have someone here who can check out the places for you, then wait until you arrive. Never rent without seeing the place and meeting landlord or agent.

scrubbedexpat091

Those scams are so common it seems now. Price is the best indicator theyvare always below market rent. They seem to often use an aol email as well.

Scams are one reason I tend to stick with known management companies and avoid independent rentals. There have been scams where people had the ability to see a unit and the person collected deposits from several people.

Far less risk involved when renting with known management companies.

BristolUK

Not always easy to know market value from abroad though. Of course, there are websites and other 'sources' but we can always pick holes in them.

My two units...in looking at vacancies the rents were always a bit higher than most others. But they were always quite low compared to official averages.

Does aol still operate?

HGerchikov

Siouxie

If photos are shown then I'd suggest using 'google image search' for the photos - if they are from a house sale or other property they will show up
https://support.google.com/websearch...DAndroid&hl=en (how to use)

https://www.google.com/imghp?hl=EN

Danny B

Watch out for this scam an all.

I was flogging a car on kijii last month and was emailing back and forth with a bloke who seemed to ask a lot of genuine questions. Anyway at the end of his last email he asked me to send him a vehicle history report. I told him I already had one but he insisted he wanted another.

He sent me a link to some dodgy looking car history website that offered these reports for $19.99, I put in the VIN and then I was at the credit card screen. That slippery bastard was trying to get me credit card details. I emailed him back some abuse and didn't hear a peep back. I can normally spot the scammers a mile off but this bloke almost got me.

Hurlabrick

I have taken the liberty of updating the property rental wiki with a warning about rental scams with a link to this thread.

BristolUK

Now you say that, I'm sure it's come up previously. Possibly someone posted a link to a news report.

CanadaJimmy

Reminds me of this story, someone posted a random woman's house on Craigslist on Vancouver Island. She had hundreds of people show up to her house who had paid, peaking through the windows, and some even got aggressive with her accusing her of being the scammer:
https://www.langleytimes.com/news/b-...t-rental-scam/

So yeah, be smart, and don't send money to strangers on craigslist.

crofty82

Now owned by TalkTalk in the UK. My dad still refuses to give up the AOL e-mail address he's had since 1998.