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Renters beware: Rental scams continue in Hamilton

Hamilton, ON (June 18, 2019) – The REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) would like to issue a warning to the public that rental scams continue to take place within the City of Hamilton. RAHB continues to receive reports from REALTOR® members who find their for-sale properties posted without permission for rent on various online classified websites.

RAHB encourages potential renters to be aware of a listing that seems too good to be true.

“Prospective renters should always view a property beforehand, and obtain a phone number and office location for the landlord. When working with a REALTOR®, a business card would be provided,” says RAHB President Bob Van de Vrande. “With increasing demand for rental housing, renters need to be extra cautious and exercise good judgement.”

If you see or are affected by a rental scam, Hamilton Police Services suggests reporting the ad to the website where the rental is posted, working with your financial institution if money has been sent, and reporting incidents to local police services and the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre at 1.888.495.8501.

To prevent yourself from being a victim of a rental scam, RAHB and Hamilton Police Services recommend before any money is exchanged, going to the rental property and meeting the landlord; conducting research on listed properties, such as a quick search of the property address on REALTOR.ca; being aware of the language used because often the scammer will attempt to make the situation feel like an exchange between friends; and remember that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

“When in doubt, check the information or get in touch with a REALTOR® who can quickly verify the ownership of the property for you,” adds Van de Vrande. “Never send money online without having verified that you are working with a legitimate landlord or brokerage.”

Original Article: https://www.rahb.ca/rahb-realtors-release-june2019-statistics/