As much as we want to, we do not always come across trustworthy people. There are a lot of bad people lying their way through this business just to get some money. As a residential leasing agent, you must know how to identify rental scams. Your main job is seeking to help landlords find tenants, but how do you know that a landlord is legit?

Rental scams are found all over the internet, and you should never believe everything you find online. Many phony posts will try to attract a lot of renters. Unfortunately, many people fall for their too-good-to-be-true ads. Here is a list of rental scams for you to watch out for:

• Advanced payment

The main reason why there are people who do these kinds of activities is to gain money from it. Once they have the money, no one will be able to contact or locate them. They will use fake names and information to mislead applicants.

A landlord who asks for payment before letting anyone check out the property is a major red flag. No one should ever give out their credit card information without verifying the validity of the property listing.

• Too good to be true

Landlords will make their property listing as attractive as possible. With hundreds of listings available, they will do everything to stand out. It is natural to see listings that feature all the good points of their property. However, scammers will fabricate or exaggerate the truth to entice tenants.

If it is too good to be true, chances are, it probably is. If the property is very appealing, but the rent price is less than what it should, and the least terms are too flexible, you should become suspicious. Part of your job is knowing the value of a property.

• Look out for Outlook

Outlook is an email service that is free to use. It is the same as using Yahoo and Google, but usernames on this site are more likely scams. Watch out for email addresses that use Outlook.

• Incorrect grammar

There will be constant communication with the landlord, and how they communicate must be professional. They do not have to use complicated words, but they do need to be articulate, formal, and confident.

If the landlord uses incorrect grammar and too many punctuations, chances are, they are a fraud. Check the way they compose their emails and messages because it will help you avoid getting scammed. Remember that you are talking about business, so it should be formal.

• Cash-ins

Scammers will avoid any paper trail that can get traced back to them. They will insist on making renters pay in cash because it will not be trackable, and they do not have to give out their bank details.

A property owner who will insist on receiving cash and will not accept bank transfers or cheques is another red flag. Do not think twice about backing off on that kind of deal.

These people are difficult to stop because they do not feel guilty about taking other people’s hard-earned money. However, you can avoid them by identifying these warning signs. It is part of your duty because you will be dealing with different landlords, so you have to know how to tell which ones are legit. Being associated with deceiving landlords can harm your reputation as a residential rental agent as well.

Some landlords may be the real deal but they practice some of these things without thinking about the implications. If you come across an honest landlord, make sure that they avoid doing the things mentioned above so they will not seem fraudulent to your clients. Do due diligence to get to know your landlord and their property before you market their listing on Padleads where a lot of renters can see.