Despite most places being under some sort of shelter-in-place order, renters are still searching for apartments. With apartment leasing being done entirely online, it’s important to follow proper procedures to keep your property out of fraudulent listings and maintain your online reputation. We’ll provide a few ways to proactively avoid scams and help you navigate the process if you think your listing is being used by a scammer.
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are one way people can get your information and use it to scam others. Be wary of emails from both recognizable and unrecognizable domains saying things such as:
- There’s been suspicious activity or log-in attempts to one of your accounts
- There’s a problem with your account or your payment information
- You must confirm some personal information to keep your account active
- Include a fake invoice and ask for payment
You can avoid phishing scams by always checking the email sender. For example, Zumper will always send emails from zumper.com & padmapper.com domains. If an email is not coming from either of those domains, you can be certain it’s a scam. It’s good to keep in mind when sorting through your emails. Remember to never give out personal information to anyone you don’t know or haven’t verified as legitimate.
Fraudulent Listings
Fraudulent listings are some of the most common forms of rental scams, and it’s unfortunately very easy for a property to fall prey to them. Here’s how it works. Spammers will search for personal information and property listing details and copy them almost word for word. Then they’ll sign up for accounts on the same sites using the leasing agent or property manager’s personal information. They’ll duplicate a listing, usually lowering the price by hundreds of dollars, and pose as the property manager or leasing agent by using their identity.
Reporting a Fraudulent Listing
While most listing sites have a thorough process for verifying every listing and account, there’s always the possibility that some will slip through the cracks.
If you think someone has stolen your information and is using it to impersonate you and/or your property, there are ways to report a fraudulent property. On Zumper, you can report a listing by selecting the flag icon or “Report this listing” button on the listing page. Additionally, you can contact us with the Zumper website URL of the listing through our support request form.
Other listing sites have their own method of removing fraudulent listings. Check their sites for information on how to report it through their platform.
Quick Tips: How to Keep Your Community Safe from Scams
- Perform a quick image search of your property on your desktop or mobile device.
- Click on any images of your property and see where the images are being used.
- If you discover any of your community’s pictures being used illegally on listing sites, report it to that site.
- Be sure to check the listing details and include any stolen information when reporting the listing.
Going Forward
During this new age of entirely virtual transactions, steering clear of rental scams is more important than ever. Equip yourself with the right information and you’ll feel confident that your property won’t be involved in any fraudulent listings. If you think one of your property listing’s details or images are being used by a scam artist, report the listing on the appropriate site.
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