Mumbai: The cyber crime police have issued an alert for citizens warning them about the ongoing online rental scam wherein the cybercriminals impersonate landlords or agents and demand advance payments via UPI or bank transfer.
Scammers Impersonate Landlords and Agents
"Be cautious of fake property listings on popular platforms like OLX, Facebook Marketplace, or WhatsApp groups. Cybercriminals impersonate landlords or agents and demand advance payments via UPI or bank transfer," the alert stated.
Warning Signs for Citizens
Informing about the warning signs, the alert stated, "No physical visit allowed citing various excuses like owner being abroad, urgent demand for advance payment to “block” the deal, extremely low rent or unusually attractive property images, communication only via WhatsApp or Telegram and use of fake IDs or rental agreements sent digitally."
Precautionary Steps to Avoid Fraud
Some of the precautions that citizens can take are, "Never pay advance without physical verification of property, cross-check agent/owner identity via video call or in-person meet, use verified rental platforms with escrow or secure payment options, avoid deals that seem “too good to be true” and report suspicious listings to platform admins immediately."
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Reporting Cyber Frauds
The victim can report these crimes to the national cyber crime helpline 1930, cybercrime.gov.in, local police station and file an FIR with transaction details and screenshots.
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