Crystal Police: Be Wary of Rental Housing Scam
The Crystal Police Department is warning residents to be wary of a web-based scam targeting potential home renters.
According to Crystal police, scammers will post a home for rent online, often at a price that’s lower than standard market rent. However, they won’t actually own the home or have the right to offer it for rent.
If a prospective renter expresses interest in the property, police say the scammer will ask the renter to put down a deposit or make a rent payment using gift cards.
The scammers will then steal the gift cards, leaving the potential renter empty-handed.
Gift cards are typically non-refundable and are difficult to trace.
Crystal Deputy Police Chief Brian Hubbard said these types of scams can difficult to investigate, since scammers can be located anywhere in the world.
“If someone is looking for a property and the request is that you receive payment in gift cards, that really should be a red flag for people that that’s not how any legitimate property owner is going to do business,” Hubbard said. “If something seems to good to be true, it probably is.”
According to Hubbard, these scams seem to be more active in warmer months with multiple reports coming so far this year.
Renters can check with the city to see if a property is licensed for rent, as well as who the owner is before paying for a rental property.
