Finding a new place to live as a student is an exciting time, to say the least. Doubly so if it’s your first time away from the dorms in an off-campus rental home. There’s no resident advisor patrolling the halls, and you finally get to live like a true Athenian in the city.
When you’re searching for your next prime college rental, however, take caution. The student rental market is an easy target for scammers. Protect yourself while browsing rental homes for students—we’ll take a look at some of the most common red flags that you might be dealing with a scammer.
Common Student Apartment Scam Scenarios
Not all scammers are the same, but they use similar scenarios to lure and trap unsuspecting renters. One of the most common is the “ghost listing” scam. Scammers copy real listings of attractive off-campus apartments — or create fake ones — for properties they have no involvement in. They’ll use photos that almost look too good to be true and list them as student rentals at absurdly low prices.
Another common setup is the “bait-and-switch.” This type of scammer will show a legitimate-looking property online or even in-person. This off-campus apartment for rent will look enticing and amenable — basically, it would be hard to pass up. Who wouldn’t want a luxurious student rental with a sprawling backyard? Once the bait has been taken, the rug is pulled out from under the would-be renter, and the scammer tries to rent out a different unit that may or may not even exist, oftentimes at higher prices and inferior amenities.
The other most common scenario involving Ohio University student rental scams is the classic wire transfer trap. If you’ve been alive long enough in the 21st century, this probably isn’t anything new. The “landlord” will make excuses left and right for why they can’t meet in person or show the property, and they persistently ask for money in a method that’s virtually untraceable. Be wary of supposed landlords asking for money in the form of wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
These setups work so well on students for two main reasons:
- Lack of experience with renting: most students are first-time renters and have never dealt with the rental process for a nearby rental home.
- Time pressure: with so much competition from fellow student renters and the already-short time window to search for rental apartments in the area, students feel pressured to make a quick decision.
Red Flags for College Rental Scams
How do you know when you’re dealing with a scammer? It might not always be transparently obvious, especially if they’re offering a seemingly legit apartment down the road from the university. However, there are certain behaviors that will tip you off that a potential scam is underway. Keep your eye out for the following:
- Inconsistent, suspicious communication: landlord is only able to communicate via email, and they’re never available to meet in person or talk on the phone.
- Absurdly low monthly rents: the landlord is offering a student rental with unbeatablerent prices, especially compared to others in the same area.
- Pressure to act fast: the landlord repeatedly says there’s tons of interest and rushes you to pay a deposit or sign a lease as fast as possible.
- Unconventional money requests: scammers typically ask for money via odd, untraceable methods. Asking for money via wire transfers, gift cards, Venmo, cryptocurrency, and others is a major red flag.
- No lease/vague lease: they offer to rent out a popular student rental near Ohio University without any kind of lease. If there is a lease, it will probably look copied and pasted from a generic template.
How to Protect Yourself When Looking for Nearby University Rentals
It’s always important to stay vigilant when you’re in a situation where you’re sharing personal, sensitive information with another party. Even when hunting for the perfect student apartment that’ll make you the talk of town, you have to be proactive and protect yourself.
While a lot of it boils down to common sense (if it seems like a scam, it probably is a scam), but do the following, and you’ll be able to spot a college apartment scam from a mile away:
- Research the property: Look up whichever Athens apartment or spacious rental homeyou’re inquiring about. Does it actually exist? Is it listed multiple times?
- Demand an in-person tour: Never sign a lease without seeing the property in-person first. Even not considering scams, this is just plain good advice all around whenever you’re renting a space. If you can’t make it, ask a friend or relative to go in your place.
- Use a formal lease: Always insist on a formal, written lease. Make sure you’re able to read and understand everything outlined on it.
- Document everything possible: Keep full records of all communications, payments, and documents.
Finding your next rental home that’s practically around the corner from OU should be an exciting time in your life, not a stressful one. A tiny bit of precaution and awareness goes a long way in preventing a potentially catastrophic situation. Remember: if you find yourself questioning if something is a scam, there’s a good chance that it is.