Guernsey Police is again urging people to take caution when paying deposits on rental properties.
The warning comes as another rental scam has been reported, in which an individual paid a deposit on a property which does not exist.
The scammers had false contracts drawn up, a full property description and a fake address, and asked for half the deposit before the prospective tenant had moved in.
Guernsey Police is aware that fraudsters are particularly active in the rental housing market at the moment.
Previously false adverts have been advertised via Tig.gg and Facebook and victims of the scams have responded and paid deposits up-front without seeing the property they were looking to rent. The latest report showed that the scammers were posing as a husband and wife claiming to own the fake unit.
A spokesperson for Guernsey Police said: “We would advise people looking to rent a property to be on their guard when entering into a rental agreement for a property which is advertised on social media and not connected to a local reputable letting agent.
“We would also advise people not to pay any deposits unless they have met the owner of the property or a verified representative in person if it is a private let.
“If you think you have fallen for a scam, in the first instance contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk.
You can also contact the Guernsey Police on 01481 725111 or via fraud@guernsey.pnn.police.uk and Trading standards via scams@gov.gg or tradingstandards@gov.gg.
A spokesperson for Trading Standards added: “If you are looking to rent a property, it is best practice to follow this advice:
- ensure you use a known estate agent or a private landlord you know and trust, or with reliable recommendations;
- if the offer seems to be too good to be true it probably is;
- do not pay any money without visiting the property or ensuring the landlord is the legal owner or representative of the property;
- be wary if somebody puts you under pressure to pay immediately;
- if possible try to pay with a protected payment method, for example a credit card.
To find out the current owner of the property you can request a copy of the deed to the property from the Greffe, as it is public information. There is a charge of £2 per page and the average deed is 2-3 pages long.
