BBC correspondent, Guy Lynn, confronted a scam artist that tried to extort over £1,400 from his potential tenant for a place he doesn’t actually hold. Yet another illustration of an increasing phenomenon: online rental fraud. Easyroommate helped the BBC to hunt down scammers.
Go check BBC video and full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35386945
What does Easyroommate do to avoid scammers?
The scam artists can be very creative; they are experienced and know how to stay undetected. How do we spot them? Easyroommate has a dedicated team – the moderation team – of about ten agents working solely to stop bogus ads from being published.
- No add can go live without being pre-moderated!
- Emails and IP addresses are checked.
- Pricing, photos and wording are compared to preexisting ones.
- Published ads are checked every day.
- All users receive an email with safety tips to avoid scammers.
This moderation process can take few hours, but it is the best way for Easyroommate to protect its users!
What can you do to avoid scammers?
Avoiding scammers is also a matter of caution, how can you spot a suspicious ad?
- The ad looks too good to be true.
- The depiction is too specific or not at all.
- The landlord is abroad at the moment.
- The landlord is unavailable for viewings.
- It is requested to send a deposit to secure the accommodation.
To see more tips, go check our FAQ section: http://uk.easyroommate.com/misc/faq.aspx
If you are victim of a scammer, do report it!
- if you are suspecting something report it to the Customer service,
- if you already made a bank transfer, call your bank adviser and contact the police.
Easyroommate collaborates with the authorities to help fight rental fraud and provides the best experience to its users.
