The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a surge of rental scams.
Deputy Commissioner of the ACCC, Delia Rickard said Australians have lost more than $300,000 to rental and accommodation scams so far this year, an increase of 76 per cent compared to the same time last year.
“These scams target people seeking new rental accommodation by offering fake rental properties to convince people into handing over money or personal information,” Ms Rickard said.
“Scammers are offering reduced rents due to COVID-19 and using the Government restrictions to trick people into transferring money without inspecting the property.”
She said scammers posted advertisements on real estate or classified websites or targeted people who had posted on social media that they were looking for a room.
“After the victim responds, the scammer will request an up-front deposit to secure the property or phish for personal information through a ‘tenant application form’, promising to provide the keys after the payment or information is provided,” Ms Rickard said.
“The scammer may come up with excuses for further payments and the victim often only realises they have been scammed when the keys don’t arrive and the scammer cuts off contact.”
She said some scammers even impersonated real estate agents and organised fake inspections. Victims would then arrive to discover the property did not exist or was currently occupied.
“The loss of personal information through rental scams is becoming more common, with scammers requesting copies of identity documents such as passports, bank statements or pay-slips,” Ms Rickard said.
“People aged 25-to-34 reported the most rental scams so far in 2020, and most reports came from NSW, Victoria and the ACT.”
