Avoid Scams and Fraud
Stay safe while searching for your perfect rental
The convenience of shopping online also comes with an increased risk of scams and fraud. Always stay cautious and alert before sharing personal information or sending any type of payment.
We work hard to provide users with the most up to date and comprehensive library of rental listings. However, scammers are also trying to take advantage of renters and steal their hard earned money. By staying informed and working together, we can help make online marketplaces safer for everyone.
Please note that we do not take part in rental transactions and cannot refund money if you become a victim of fraud. While we continuously monitor listings to provide a safe experience, we cannot guarantee that our platform will always be completely free of false or fraudulent listings.
What we ask you to do
Watch out for scams. Below are some of the most common warning signs.
1
Rent priced far below market value
Scammers know that renters may rush to secure a deal that seems too good to be true. A very low price can encourage quick decisions without proper verification.
2
Requests to wire money
Legitimate landlords do not ask renters to wire money to bank accounts, especially accounts located overseas. They also do not request payment through services such as Western Union, MoneyGram, or other money transfer providers.
3
Requests to use another listing service or escrow account
Scammers may pretend to represent legitimate platforms such as Airbnb or HomeAway. They may also suggest sending money to an escrow account to make the transaction appear legitimate.
4
Claims of affiliation with us
Some scammers impersonate Student.com to make it appear that we are involved in the lease agreement or payment transfer. We do not take part in any transactions between landlords and renters. We will never ask you for payment to use our platform or services.
5
Dramatic landlord stories
You may hear stories such as the landlord needing to rent the property urgently because they have been relocated overseas. They might tell you to view the building from the outside because no one is available to show it, and pressure you to sign within 24 hours because many other renters are interested. Legitimate landlords will normally meet with you and allow you to view the property before requesting a deposit.
6
Refusal to meet in person
In some cases the landlord or agent refuses to meet you at the property. They may send an access code for a lockbox and ask you to enter the property alone.
Report scams immediately
If you encounter a suspicious listing, report it as soon as possible and provide as much detail as you can, including copies of communications and any payment information.
You can report scams to:
Student.com by calling our toll-free number +44 800 316 2918, or emailing contact@student.com
Your local police department
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Money transfer providers, if applicable. If you sent money through Western Union or MoneyGram, their customer support teams may be able to stop the transfer.
Review these real-life examples of rental listings scams to make sure it doesn’t happen to you:
Rental scams are on the rise, and there are individuals who will say and do anything they can to get money from renters.
Examples scammers may use to convince renters to wire deposits or rent payments:
I contacted my attorney and told them I will be renting my house to you and your fiancé.
The tracking number for the FedEx package with the keys will be sent to you so that you know when to be expecting the parcel. We are giving you this based on trust, so please don't disappoint us. You will need to make payment for the security deposit to enable shipment of the keys and documents to the address you have provided us.
I have emailed the Leasing Document to you, so you'll have to make a down payment now so we can take the rental home off the market and ship the keys to your address.
Here are the tracking details for your package. Please make your deposit via Cash App, Zelle, Bitcoin, or Bank Wire Transfer.
Your package is on hold by Customs, demanding $1,850. How much can you sort out now? Note that any money paid will be put towards rent. If you can come up with the additional $1,600, you will have five months of payments that can be put towards rent.
I have contacted student.com. They will contact you soon with the payment invoice.
Examples scammers may use to avoid meeting with renters:
I resided in the house with my family, my wife, and my only daughter before and I am currently in South Carolina to help save lives down here due to the whole pandemic going on now.
The condo you inquired about is still available for rent. My family and I traveled to Texas, GA and some other cities for a program for the Department of Defense Military Healthcare System, VA/DoD Healthcare Affairs health care in three major cities.
As I am not around to show the inside, you can go check out the house and the neighborhood from the outside and get back to me if you really like it for more information.
My wife has COVID-19 and I am currently in quarantine. You can check out the house from the outside and tell me what you think.
I am currently out of the country. I own many properties and I'm just looking for someone who will take care of my property and my things. Money is not a problem.
Note: Scammers will always try to request funds before granting access to the property. Beware of Scammers who send you fake student.com invoices and who request that you send funds to a third party via Cash App, Zelle, Bitcoin, and Bank Wire Transfers. When in doubt, contact Student.com Support by email at contact@student.com or by phone at +44 800 316 2918.