Have you ever had an offer that was too good to be true? We have! So why would scammers target a prospective Del Val tenant by making false claims of an amazing rental price on one of our properties and attempt to get cash from this prospective tenant? Because they thought they could succeed! (Spoiler alert, they didn’t!)
Del Val started receiving calls from a prospective tenant (“prospect”) about a property we had for rent in Hatboro PA. The prospect told our receptionist he had been texting with an “anonymous person” who quoted a rental price on a property that was much less than what Del Val had the property listed. The prospect became hesitant and called our office due to the large difference in the rental amounts. He also said that the “anonymous person” wanted money before the prospect could see the property. Luckily this prospect was suspicious and called our office where our receptionist explained that is NOT how Del Val works.
Scams and scammers have been around a long time. And with Covid-19 safety measures in place for many real estate companies, scammers are taking advantage of this new and somewhat unknown situation. No one knows what to expect so they are drawn in by lower prices that are hard to resist.
Del Val certainly has properties for rent that are good values, but you have to be certain the rentals really do exist and that they are being marketed by a reputable company.
Here are some guidelines to avoid getting caught up in a scam and losing your hard-earned rent money:
- Do your homework on the property. If you are signing a long-term lease, you should always view the property before sending money or signing a contract. You can also search online using key words to see if other sites have the same property listed with the same company. Our ads have key words and are set up the same way with our website address, physical address, phone number, etc. included.
- Never send money or share your financial information (bank account, SS#, Paypal, etc.) with someone you have never met or cannot verify their company. If an individual is not willing to provide an office address, this is a warning sign of a rental that does not exist.
- Don’t allow someone to “Push” you into a decision. It is a warning sign if a company/landlord insists that you must act now to take advantage of a property. The scammer may be trying to get your money before you have time to research the listing.
- Do not rent or purchase sight-unseen. We do occasionally rent to individuals who have not seen the property and are moving to PA from another state. But we have photos and usually a video of the property to show the individual. If you cannot view photos and/or a video of the rental property, the amazing "deal" may not exist.
- Ask the individual for their website or office address. Most companies or individuals have a website and/or an office address. Do your homework and check them out. If you can’t find any information about them, this is another warning sign.
- Wear your thinking cap! Use common sense! If something seems “too good to be true”, it usually isn’t!
Terri Ulaner is the Marketing Manager of Del Val Realty & Property Management ("Del Val"). She has been with the company for 13 years and does all the marketing for the Rentals. Del Val is a FULL SERVICE Philadelphia Property Management company with over 15 years' experience and manages over 3,700 single family homes, Duplexes and Multi-family properties in and around Philadelphia, PA. We advise property owners how to build wealth and financial security through hassle-free ownership of rental real estate with our NO "Hassle" FULL Service Management Program. This proven management system allows owners to enjoy the financial benefits of cash flow, tax savings, and wealth creation. All this while it GUARANTEES you will never have to deal with maintenance or tenant issues. For more information visit our website at http://www.delvalproperty.com/