Rental scams are on the rise in the UK, with victims losing significant sums to sophisticated fraudsters posing as landlords.
Criminals use Facebook and Open Rent. They target renters in need of housing. Few properties are available, so people are desperate. Half of young adults rent from private landlords. Rental numbers are the highest in years.
Harleen Nottay was scammed herself. She says ads look real at first. Renters pay, then the scammer disappears. People lose their money and housing. Harleen paid a deposit of £1,000 once. The “landlord” vanished after getting the money.
She found these scams are very common now. Reports to police increased a lot. Reports rose 345% in the last ten years. Some victims feel ashamed, Harleen thinks. So, the real number could be even higher. The rental market is a tricky minefield.
Fraud is widespread in the country now. People find it hard to stay safe from scams. Social media helps scammers find victims, easily. Anna, 26, lost thousands to a rental scam. It happened via Open Rent in London.
A scammer used Airbnb pictures for fake ads. He faked viewings as an estate agent. He took six months’ rent upfront, then vanished. Anna lost £8,100. Anna tried to get the keys and move in. The person there said it was an Airbnb. He rented it for five days. The whole property wasn’t for rent.
Anna felt shocked because it seemed real. The process appeared professional at first. It felt like a legitimate process. The scammer wore a suit for the viewing. He had fake contracts and a website. Anna felt tricked, and hopeless about the system.
Anna reported it but they didn’t pursue it. Only a few cases are charged. Anna’s bank refunded her money, luckily. The scam shook her a lot. It wasn’t just the money, she said. Losing your home felt like a loss of freedom. Harleen said anyone could be scammed like Anna.
Anna did checks, viewed the property and had contracts. It all seemed real and legitimate. Facebook Marketplace is common for scams. Santander data shows many scams start there. Generation Rent did research for the TV show. They looked at Facebook ads in six cities.
Birmingham had the most fake property listings. Almost all rentals had scam red flags. Many pictures were from other websites. Meta says they don’t allow scam content online. Harleen put a fake ad using a famous building. She rented it for a very low price.
It took weeks to remove the obviously fake ad. Meta isn’t doing enough to moderate its site. Tenants lose millions they can’t afford. Platforms must protect renters from scams. They must moderate their content more. Police must help victims get justice.
Meta says they invest in fraud protection. They work with law enforcement to find scams. They advise users how to stay safe. The Government’s new bill aims to protect renters. It stops bidding wars and limits upfront payments. This will safeguard renters more.
