You’re spending the summer out of state and see an ad on Facebook Marketplace for a studio in Beacon Hill for $1,200. Nice photos, the agent is friendly, and it seems like a great deal. Not wanting to pass up, you wire the money via PayPal. Then the “agent” disappears and you’re not sure when you’ll be able to move in. I’m sorry to tell you, you’ve been scammed.

It’s August, and many leases have already been signed ahead of Boston’s move-in rush on September 1. But there are still plenty of people looking for apartments, and with competition high and housing supply low, scammers are hoping to capitalize on desperation.

“Right now is kind of the best time to commit these types of scams, so it wouldn’t be unusual to see a possible spike during this time,” said Steve Kelleher, assistant special agent in charge of the Economic Crimes Section at the FBI’s Boston Field Office.

He explained that some scammers construct apartments using photos from the Internet and other scammers “hijack” legitimate real estate listings by copying the material and simply replacing the contact information.

“We’ve had people show up at apartments and the apartment was either not for rent or rented to someone else because, of course, they were communicating with someone … who was not the owner of the property,” Kelleher added.

That’s what happened to Douglas Quattrochi, CEO of MassLandlords. He saw his own apartment for rent, with photos from an old short-term listing. Potential renters asked if it was still available.

“They just called me – and I said, ‘I don’t have an apartment to rent.’ Someone had stolen the paintings,” he said.

Anna Ivanov, landlord of several apartments in the North End and Revere, said these fake listings are bad for landlords too, so she takes to Facebook to alert renters to possible scams.

“It’s very frustrating – my properties are being offered for about $2,500 to $2,700 for a one-bedroom apartment. And it’s really hard to compete with someone who’s asking $1,400 or $1,500, which of course isn’t true,” she said.

Here you will find tips on how to avoid rental fraud and find a safe, reputable place to stay.

Slow down. Ignore the perceived competition.

According to the FBI’s Kelleher, scammers often tell people that there are many other people interested in their offer, so people quickly transfer money.

“Be careful,” he said.

What you can do:

• Ask questions about the rooms.
• Find out about average rental prices in your area.
• Try to view the property in person or request a video tour.

“Don’t spend any money until you see the device,” said Sarah Perlman of Greater Boston Legal Services, an attorney in the consumer rights division. “If you can’t be there in person, perhaps you can send a friend or other representative.”

Find out about the person you are talking to.

These websites allow you to check the background of the broker, landlord or agent. On this government website, the public can access a drop-down menu titled “Real Estate Agent and Salesperson Registration.”

“You should always Google the landlord or the property manager,” Quattrochi said. “They should have some sort of presence so you know there is someone you can turn to.” His organization’s website has a section where renters can search for a certified landlord.

Perlman recommends students look at housing databases that may be available through the university. She said Northeastern University and Boston College have lists of verified properties and landlords the school has worked with.

Don’t spend money on apps.

“We’re seeing a lot more in payment apps – Cash App, Zelle and things like that,” said Bill O’Hearn, chief of the consumer protection and response division at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

That’s because app transactions are harder to track or recover than bank transfers or credit card statements. And online marketplaces like Facebook or Craigslist don’t take responsibility or refund funds for listings on their sites.

Do not share any personal information.

Rental fraud can also lead to identity fraud.

O’Hearn said scam victims may have given out personal information on a illegitimate background check form. If you gave out your Social Security number, he recommends reporting it to IdentityTheft.gov, a website run by the Federal Trade Commission. The site will walk you through the steps to figure out if you should contact your financial institution or the Social Security Administration. This process can create an identity theft affidavit in case someone opens a line of credit in your name.

“In addition, you will receive instructions on how to contact the credit bureaus in case you want to place a credit freeze so that no one can open an account in your name,” O’Hearn said.

Find out which fees are legal and which are not.

Scammers may present fees or processes as standard. Here’s everything you need to know about rental fees in Massachusetts.

Legal:

• Application fees for a broker or real estate agent, but do a background check first to make sure they are licensed.
• The first and last month’s rent.
• Deposit equal to one month’s rent.
• Lock change fees used by landlords to replace locks, provided they represent the actual cost of the lock.

Illegal:

• Reservation fee to get the apartment “reserved” for you.
• First and last month’s rent or deposit before You have signed the rental agreement.

Use your judgment:

• Brokerage fees are arguably legal; some say they are, some say they aren’t. Under Massachusetts law, brokers must inform tenants of such a fee in writing at their first in-person meeting. And if you end up not renting the property, you owe nothing.
• If a licensed landlord, broker or agent charges a processing fee And a deposit, this is also a legal grey area. Landlords are not allowed to charge processing fees, but agents are, so do your research before you pay.

Report suspected fraud.

Sometimes people are embarrassed about being scammed and do not report the incident.

“It’s a social taboo that comes with the feeling of, ‘OK, you know, here’s someone tricking me, here’s someone taking advantage of me,'” Perlman said. But time is of the essence if you want to get your money back and protect yourself.

“You only have a few hours to alert the federal authorities,” said Quattrochi of MassLandlords. “Sometimes it can take up to a day or two, but basically it’s going to be really hard to stop this.”

The FBI’s Kelleher asks everyone to report scams to IC3.gov. From there, the bureau can help and also determine if this is a pattern occurring in other parts of the region.

You can also contact the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office, which connects people who have been scammed with the FBI. There is an online complaint form and the office will call back. If there is any connection to Massachusetts, such as if the scammer is a realtor or genuine landlord but has scammed a private individual, mediation can also be done through the office.