A young nurse has been fired after handing over thousands of dollars for what she thought was the rental home of her dreams.
Renee Ngo was desperate for a home when she moved to Brisbane last year and started searching social media for something that fit her budget.
She thought her prayers had been answered when someone reached out on Facebook offering a fully furnished apartment for just $300 a week.
But the offer turned out to be too good to be true.
Renee Ngo was desperate for a place to rent when she moved to Brisbane, in southeast Queensland, last year
Ms Ngo had unknowingly fallen victim to a heartless scammer who preyed on struggling tenants trying to find somewhere to live amid Australia’s national housing crisis.
“She said she would send the keys as soon as possible, so she asked me to pay the deposit and rent first,” Ms Ngo said. 9NEWS.
Fortunately, the bank was able to recover the $1,500 it had paid to the scammer.
However, experts have warned that these scams are becoming increasingly common, with rental property vacancy rates remaining at as low as 1 per cent.
It’s clear that scammers are taking legitimate listings from genuine websites and mimicking advertisements to take advantage of unsuspecting renters.
It’s clear that scammers are taking legitimate listings from genuine websites and faking ads to take advantage of unsuspecting tenants
Real estate agents have reported that tenants have even become homeless after discovering on “move-in day” that the lease they signed was illegal.
To avoid being misled, renters are asked to request inside video footage, look for watermarks on images and look for duplicate listings online.
They are also warned not to pay the deposit, security deposit or rent in advance, like Ms Ngo.
“I needed that money at that moment and I was so stressed,” she said.