You advertised your soon-to-be-vacant suite on Craigslist. Today you got some really great news! A person e-mailed you, saying your suite is exactly what she is looking for however, as she is currently attending university in England, she can’t see the suite but wants to rent it for sure. Because you can’t meet each other first, she is prepared to pay you $100 more than you are asking, plus three months’ rent in advance. She will make her recent bursary cheque - issued by the university - payable to you, so you know her payment is valid. A small detail: the cheque is for 4000 pounds, the equivalent of about $7600, so could you please mail her a cheque for the difference.
This is one of countless variations on the same theme; it’s a scam! A potential renter doesn’t live in your city – usually the person is somewhere in Europe – is moving soon and your place is perfect! The person wants to send you a money order, cashier’s cheque, cheque from an institution or government, (etc.) which invariably is for considerably more than the generous amount the person is willing to pay you.
Of course the document will prove to be bogus, but by the time you find out, you will already have sent the “change.” The old adage applies to the rental industry as it does to every other walk of life: if it seems too good to be true, it is!
-- LandlordMentor
