Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry is warning citizens about a new scam that’s making the rounds meant to take people’s personal information.
The new scheme involves the scammers placing fake advertisements for rental properties and sometimes altering existing, legitimate ads to obtain someone’s personal information, security deposits and rent payments. Scammers will use legitimate ads from rental companies or real estate listings and alter the ad by changing the contact information, or hack the realtor’s email account. Others will be fake ads for properties that are not on the market. Scammers can then obtain personal information from an interested consumer during the “application process” and they may even illegally collect payments.
Henry advises that people can protect themselves by:
- being wary if they cannot physically see the property or meet with the landlord in person.
- Confirming with whom you are dealing with
- Not wiring payments for application, security deposit or first month’s rent
- Not using gift cards for payment
- Not providing any personal information like social security or bank account numbers without first verifying with whom you are dealing.
Henry added that anyone that feels they have been victimized by this scam or have any questions can log on to the attorney general’s website, www.attorneygeneral.gov and submit a complaint, or call the office at 1-800-441-2555.
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