Home/Room Rental Scam

Home/Room Rental Scam

Don't get cheated on rental deals

WHAT IS A HOME/ROOM RENTAL SCAM?

There are three versions of this scam. In one, you’re offered a room or house for rent and come under pressure to pay the rent in advance. In reality the scammers are not authorised to rent out the property or the property may not even exist.

In another variation, the scammers pretend to be interested in renting a property you own. They claim to have made payment for the deposit, after which you receive fake emails from PayPal asking for a fee before the payment can be released to you. The scammers may even ask you to help pay their movers' fees.

In a third, scammers may put up fake property listings online and and contact victims through WhatsApp pretending to be property agents. The scammers then ask the victims for deposits in order to secure appointments to view the properties. Victims will realise that they have been scammed after the scammers cease contact with them.

Look out for these scam signs

How to stay safe

Ask to visit the property to verify that it exists.
Ensure the person you're dealing with is the rightful owner or an accredited real estate agent.

You can check a real estate agent's details and if they are licensed by entering their phone number here: https://www.cea.gov.sg/aceas/public-register/sales/1
This will help you discover if the listing is a well-known scam.
Payments should be made directly to the property owner.
Always read the contents of an email and check the sender's email address to ensure it's from a trusted source.
Never pay to view a property.

Home/Room Rental Scam: Real Stories

17 Jun 2022 | Home/Room Rental Scam

Scammer impersonated another licensed real estate agent to cheat

My husband was liaising with a property agent from ERA called Eddy through Whatsapp (88085047, 88145202) with regards to renting a property at 208a and 208b Clementi gateway. My husband got eddy's contact…...

21 May 2022 | Home/Room Rental Scam

I got impersonated by a scammer

Scammer used my CEA license, my name, my photo, fake email and fake hp number to scam people through rental scam. he will ask for a deposit in order to view a property and i know of 3 victims that fell…...

20 May 2022 | Home/Room Rental Scam

Never pay to secure a viewing!

Given the current supply-demand in home rentals, it is very hard to even get a viewing appointment, seems to be a norm for tenants to pay a deposit to secure a unit right away. After having lost quite…...

GET SCAM-RELATED ADVICE: CALL 1800-722-6688 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, excl. PH)
GET SCAM-RELATED ADVICE:
CALL 1800-722-6688
(Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, excl. PH)
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