(courtesy of apartmentguide.com)
These rankings are based on the total number of scams reported from 2015 to May 2021 divided by the population of each state. States with 10 or fewer scams weren’t included among the top cities, since the data wasn’t significant.
1. Idaho
Idaho had the most rental scams per capita, which isn’t surprising given the influx of residents over the past few years. In 2020, more people moved to Idaho, percentage-wise, than any other state, with a 70 percent inward migration rate compared to just 30 percent outbound.
That continued a trend that stretched back over at least the past decade of more new residents than departing ones. This trend has accelerated since 2015 and especially since 2018: Inbound rates have hovered around 70 percent for each of the past three years.
The increase in demand has helped fuel an increase in rental costs in the state. In fact, the average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment has risen 57.9 percent year-over-year, from $1,196 to $1,889. That’s a bigger jump than in any other state.
More information can be found on the Apartmentguide website
https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/rental-scams-study/
Rental Scams
In July, Boise Police have taken reports for citizens who have discovered or fallen victim to rental scams. With the current housing market, scammers continue to take advantage of people wanted to move to the area or need to find a place to live.
Things to remember:
The home might actually be for rent. Often, the scammer poses as the landlord or rental company for the home and posts it on Craigslist or Facebook. The listing is complete with pictures of the home that were taken from a legitimate rental or sales site. The address is legitimate, and the ad encourages renters or buyers to visit the site and peer through the windows. If you see other rental or for sale signs in the yard, reach out to the listed rental company directly.
Even if you can get in through a lock box, that doesn’t make it legit. The average person can sign up for and gain access to a lock box through a legitimate rental company. Criminals are taking advantage of this by signing up themselves or having the victim sign up.
Pay attention and look for the red flags. Be wary of any of listing on free sites like Facebook or Craigslist. The “landlord” will likely say they can’t meet in person or speak over the phone, so all communication is over text, email, or IM. No legitimate company will ask you to pay through gift cards, wire transfers, or cash apps. There may also be a sense of urgency and the scammer will make it seem like a now or never deal. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Prevention tips:
Be cautious of where you look on-line. Scammers will choose sites where it is free for them to post.
Be wary of the too good to be true deals. If a typical 3 bed 2 bath 1500 square foot house rents for around $1,500 or more, why is this listed for $1,000?
Another flag is when the landlord cannot meet in person or talk on the phone. An emergency arises and they are out of town, they had to leave on business, etc. In some cases, they have told the victim just to go look in the windows.
Always go through the property first. Watch for excuses of why they cannot show the place, having to mail you keys, or other people living there. Just because you can get in with through the lock box, does not make it legitimate.
Check the address, pictures, or the property description. Often scammers will steal pictures and information from legitimate rental properties or homes for sale.
Don’t wire money, send gift cards, and be cautious of sending money through apps. Recent victims have reported sending money through payment apps like Venmo and Zelle.
More information can be found on the Apartmentguide website
https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/rental-scams-study/
