Rental fraud can cause great financial harm when college-age students are looking for housing for the academic year.

“I was on vacation in Brazil and needed a place to stay when I returned to Vancouver. I looked on Kijiji and found a room for rent,” said a young scam victim who wished to remain anonymous.

“I spoke to the owner through the website, email and text message. I had to pay the rental deposit and security deposit through PayPal, but due to some issues I deposited the money into his daughter’s bank account. He also sent me a rental agreement to sign. But when I got there in September, the house did not belong to the (alleged) tenant.”

With these tips you can stay alert and safe when looking for a rental apartment:

• Always view the property in person or send a friend. An online advert can be deceptive and may not accurately represent the space. Inspect the space to confirm all details.

• Don’t send money via cash transfer apps. Always use apps from established financial institutions to transfer money, always send to a valid email address, and never send money to someone abroad.

• Make sure that a proper rental agreement is drawn up and signed by both parties. This agreement should include the names and addresses of the landlord.

• Search for similar listings online. Scammers may use images and content of a rental listing from another area to create a fake listing.

Their goal is to get you to sign a lease for the premises and pay the first month’s rent and security deposit. After that, they could disappear – with your money.