If you’re looking for a roommate and you’ve placed ads on roommate listings, regardless of whether those listings are free or paid, chances are you’ll receive a response from someone who claims to be interested in being your roommate. This person will have no interest in being your roommate. The only interest is to scam you and steal your money. Fact: Roommate scams are rampant on roommate lists. Getting familiar with these roommate scams is your first protection against theft and fraud. If you don’t know what a roommate scam is or what it sounds like or looks like, find out quickly before you become a victim. If you become a victim of a roommate scam, you should immediately contact your local authorities and possibly the FBI.

This is what a roommate scam email looks like:

Hello,

I saw your ad on (roommate listing).com I am looking to rent a room or find a roommate who is nice and honest. My name is Denise and I am 29 years old. former broker currently living in London with my uncle. I am an honest, trustworthy and caring person who enjoys making good friends and having a good time.

I plan to come to the United States to work at a new brokerage firm on an 8 month contract. I just want to confirm the rent, utilities and if there is any deposit. What is the amount to move in total? I can pay you 2 months rent and I would like to move right now. I will have my associate in the US send you a cashier’s check for 2 months’ pay.

Please send me your full details of where you would like the payment to be mailed

Name

ADDRESS

Postal Code

Email

Phone number

Thank you and I’ll be waiting for your details to proceed with the payment!

Greetings,

Denise

This is a clear example of a roommate scam. There are other similar roommate scams where people claim to be from Canada, UK, Nigeria, Australia, Sweden, etc. Ways to quickly spot a roommate scam are as follows:

1. The person is a foreigner

2. They state that they will be moving to the US for work, studies or a modeling contract.

3. Usually they only give their name and if you reply with an email asking for their full name, address and email, sometimes they refuse to give it to you.

4. They want to send you your “last paycheck” from your current employer and deposit the check into your bank account as a form of rent deposit payment.

5. You are asked to cash the check, money order, or cashier’s check (usually more than the amount of the rent deposit) into your bank account or open an account at a different bank of your choice. Once the check is deposited into your account, they will ask you to deduct a portion of the money to cover the rent and ask you to withdraw the excess portion to transfer back to them. They will explain that they need the extra money wired to buy “a plane ticket” and/or “pay moving expenses.” These checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks are counterfeit. The “excess potion” you take out of the back is how they make their money. In many cases, once the bank realizes these checks are fake, they will come after YOU for the money.

6. They offer to “an associate” or “sponsor” they know in the US to send them a check, cashier’s check, or money order to deposit at their bank for the rental deposit (again the check, money order and cashier’s checks are fake!).

7. They ask for your personal information such as full name, address, phone number, personal email account, and the bank where you will deposit the checks. Sometimes they insist on a particular bank for you to deposit their fake checks.

8. Their emails assume that you have chosen them to be your roommate and will ask you to remove your ad from the roommates list.

9. You receive similar emails that sound almost identical, but with different names and job occupations.

10. If you ask them for information like your current address, scans/faxes of your passport, visas and employment contracts, they will refuse to give you the information and make BS excuses why they can’t.

11. If you contact these roommate scammers via email or phone (not knowing at first that you are about to be scammed) and ask for a little more time to investigate or explain that you are interviewing other people, they will be they will become nasty and impatient. and you are bombarded with constant emails, instant messages and phone calls.

When responding to emails about roommate listings, always make sure to verify as much information about the other person as possible. Ask questions and don’t be shy about it. Remember, you will essentially be moving a stranger into your house or apartment. Therefore, you have every right to protect yourself and ask questions. Trust your gut and pay attention to red flags if you think you’ve received an email that appears to be a roommate scam. If you no longer feel comfortable communicating with someone you suspect is trying to scam you, stop all communication and report the incident to the FBI. You can do this by visiting the FBI website and searching for scam links on the Internet.

Understanding and recognizing roommate scams is the first step in protecting yourself while looking for a roommate. Information is power! The more informed you are about roommate scams, the easier, safer, and faster it will be to find the perfect roommate for you!

Happy roommate hunting!