To protect yourself from apartment swindlers, or so-called “black realtors”, use the services of well-known companies, and also check the details of landlords on the relevant sites.
One of the most popular “apartment” scams is the offer to rent non-existent apartments or rent an apartment to several customers at the same time. Fraudsters take a down payment or ask for the full cost of renting a home, and then disappear with the money.
To protect yourself from “apartment” scammers:
– use the services of real estate firms or those entrepreneurs whose integrity can be verified;
– search for and book accommodation on official web resources, giving preference to large network companies;
– you should be alerted if housing is very cheap – in this way scammers can rent you non-existent or already occupied housing;
– do not agree to prepayment if you are dealing with private individuals – choose the option of paying for services after they are provided;
– always specify exactly what services you will receive for your money and in what conditions you will have to live, as well as the location of housing and other points;
– request from the lessor for perusal the relevant documents that give him the right to engage in this type of activity;
– check the data of the lessor – phone numbers, bank cards, to which you are asked to send the advance payment;
– try to find as much information as possible about the landlord, check reviews about him on the Internet.
If you have become a victim of fraudsters, contact the emergency line 102.
Communications Department of the Lviv Oblast Police