Avoiding popular online rental scams is a growing problem across the country, but when you partner with Cobalt Creek Property Management in Denver, you get a team of local experts by your side. Avoiding rental fraud requires a sharp eye, a healthy amount of fact-checking, and, most importantly, time. Let us spare you these headaches.
Most Common Rental Scams
Online rental scams are engineered to look like legitimate rental listings, which is why so many people fall for them. While criminals use a variety of tactics to sweeten the bait, most scams take one of two forms:
- Fake Rentals — These made-up listings are for places that aren’t for rent or don’t even exist.
- Stolen Ads — Scammers copy ads for real rental properties or real estate that’s up for sale, modify them with their contact information, and paste them on other sites.
Red Flags To Look For
Intrepid renters doing their own searches online should watch for these red flags to spot scams. First, be suspicious of ads filled with grammatical and spelling errors and emails written in poor or broken English. A lot of people aren’t excellent writers, but if you have trouble understanding them, you might be talking to a foreign criminal.
Seeing Is Believing
Second, you’ll want to look around inside the apartment or house before signing anything or paying anyone a cent. Shady landlords and their “agents” may ask you to sign the lease before seeing the property or ask for money before you sign the lease. They could take you to the property but can’t let you inside for whatever reason, or they will let you inside after paying them a fee. Don’t fall for any of these practices.
When It’s Too Good To Be True
Third, if the advertised rate for an apartment or house is significantly below average, it’s probably fake. Low rent and excellent amenities are often how scammers lure in their victims. You’re better off looking elsewhere.
Management Means Peace Of Mind
Cobalt Creek Property Management is loved and trusted by tenants and landlords throughout Colorado. We meet each of our landlords, and we’ll handle all communication with them. With over 30 years of real estate, property management, and maintenance experience, our team will quickly and professionally resolve any issues that arise.
If you decide to rent one of our properties, you’ll have 24/7 access to our online tenant portal. These tools let you easily file maintenance requests, renew your lease, and pay rent through a secure channel. No more worrying about your rent arriving on time. Since we coordinate with maintenance specialists, you can rest assured that repairs get done quickly.
Rent With Confidence. Contact Us Today.
Start searching our online rental listings, or call to ask about the hundreds of additional listings we have access to. Contact us today. Avoiding popular online rental scams in Denver is easy when you have Cobalt Creek Property Management on your side.
