“First, transfer the money to us, and then we will send you the address of the apartment”, “Don’t think anything, we are honest people, we just want to make sure that your intentions are serious” - after this phrase, you can put three dots and immediately understand what is at stake.

As a rule, it is precisely such formulations that charlatans use in order to quickly earn a substantial amount and disappear from the radar by turning off their mobile phone. After all, there are exactly as many scammers in the real estate market today as there are respectable people. Every person who rents a house for the first time wants to know how not to be deceived when renting an apartment and what to do in order to protect themselves and their wallet. Understanding the basic schemes of deception can be a good vaccination against scammers.

Read more:: How to rent an apartment.

Popular methods and ways of cheating when renting an apartment

1. "Money up front." This is one of the most common types of scams. The house is offered at an attractive price, but requires a deposit. The deposit agreement states that the amount will not be returned if the client himself refuses to purchase. After a while, pitfalls begin to emerge and it turns out that the owner has been hiding a lot all this time. Naturally, he can't settle for a cot in the middle of a bare-walled room when he was promised. And immediately refuses to buy or rent an apartment in Kyiv long-term, leaving the amount of the deposit to a petty cheater. In fact, there is no crime, but still the money cannot be returned.

2. Appeared heirs. A well-known scheme, according to the terms of which there should be housing with a cost of 20% below the market and supposedly an heir who wants to quickly sell his house, since money at this stage of life is more of a priority. Then, absolutely by chance, it turns out that the apartment already has a new owner and life-long trials begin, which, as a rule, end in failure.

3. Fake documents. What all crooks sin. Even the most advanced people who understand psychology and know well how to identify scammers when renting an apartment by facial expressions, manner of speaking and other verbal / non-verbal signs, can not always be convinced that the documents are forged. Some charlatans have already mastered the art of drawing court decisions with seals and signatures, as well as wills and other documents.

The only way to be safe is to contact the best real estate agencies in Kyiv, which have their own blacklists and can expose scammers at the click of a finger.

Recommendations: how to identify a scammer:

• Do not trust the low value of real estate. The attraction of unprecedented generosity can end at one fine moment when it turns into a mousetrap.
• Don't give money up front. As a rule, after the refusal, the victim becomes uninteresting for the swindler and he no longer contacts her.
• Be wary if a person is in a hurry with a deal and does not give time to consider the offer, appealing to the increased demand and demand for apartments.
• Require documents. If they are not there or they look doubtful, say goodbye to the owner of the apartment and contact the police.

In order not to fall for scammers when renting an apartment, it is important to cooperate with trusted realtors and be critical of all information. Trusting professionals, a sober mind and the first bells, indicating the dishonesty of the owner of the property.