Avoiding SCAMS and fraud
SCAMs and fraud online is unfortunately becoming increasingly popular. This trend has sadly become popular when looking for a new apartment or house as well.
Luckily by following a few common sense rules you will be able to protect yourself from scammers.
Rules to keep you safe:
Deal locally with people you can meet in person
Follow this simple rule and you've saved yourself a lot of trouble.
Never give our detailed financial information via email
Often landlords will need detailed financial information to check your various references. This is a common practice and you should accept that as a requirement when applying for an apartment. But you should never give this information to someone via an email when you've never meet the person. Information you should never give to anyone unless you've meet them and feel comfortable is: Social Insurance number, Drivers License, banking information and the sorts.
Never wire/send money via Money Gram, Western Union and other services
Anyone who asks for this is most likely a scammer.
What should you do if you get in contact with a scammer?
If you ever get in contact with a scammer you should stop all communications immediately! Always keep in mind that these people are criminals. We recommend that you also inform the website of the scammer to prevent other people from being scammed. Sites like
Rentmore.ca and craigslist, which both offer
apartments for rent in most major cities, quickly get the listings dropped once they've been informed of a scammer.
This is not legal advice. Always ensure that you follow applicable Tenancy and Bylaw Regulations.
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