The Peru Gazette

Community Alert: Fraudulent Online Rental Opportunities

Criminals are posting fake rental listings online to steal your money and personal information. These scams often appear on social media, classified sites, and rental platforms. Scammers copy real photos and details, underprice the property, pressure you to act fast, and demand payment before you ever see the place.

How to Identify Fake Rental Listings

Watch for these common red flags:

The rent is far below market rate for the neighborhood or similar properties. If it looks too good to be true, it almost always is.

Pressure to pay or decide immediately — “Someone else is interested,” “You must send a deposit today to hold it,” or similar urgency tactics.

Demand for money before you view the property or sign a lease (application fees, deposits, first month’s rent).

Payment only by untraceable methods: wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or apps like Venmo/Zelle/Cash App before any legitimate agreement.

The “landlord” refuses to meet in person or show the property, often claiming to be out of town, overseas, or unavailable.

Requests for sensitive personal information early — Social Security number, bank details, driver’s license copies, or credit-score screenshots before you have agreed to rent.

Inconsistencies when you research: The same address listed at different prices or by different contacts; the property appears for sale instead of rent; photos reverse-image-search to other listings or real-estate sites.

Poor communication — vague answers about the property, grammar/spelling issues, or only texting/emailing.

PLATTSBURGH POLICE DEPARTMENT Jarrod Trombley,45 PINE STREET PLATTSBURGH, NY 12901, 518-563-3411

518-566-9000 FAX

Chief of Police

Protect yourself:

Search the exact address online. Check local property records for ownership. Compare rents in the area. Visit the property in person (or have a trusted person do so) and verify the person you’re dealing with is the actual owner or authorized agent. Legitimate landlords and managers do not need your money or full personal data before a viewing and signed agreement.

What to Do If You Have Been Scammed or Submitted an Application and Later Learned It Is Fake

Act quickly:

Contact your bank, credit-card issuer, or payment service immediately. Report the transaction

as fraud. Request a stop-payment, chargeback, or recovery if possible. The sooner you act, the

better the chance of limiting losses.

File a police report with your local law-enforcement agency. Provide screenshots of the

listing, all messages, payment records, and any personal information you shared. This creates

an official record and may assist investigations.

Report the scam to:

 The Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (or 1-877-382-4357)

 The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov

 The website or platform where the listing appeared

 Your state attorney general’s consumer-protection

Monitor your credit and accounts. If you shared personal information, place a fraud alert or

credit freeze with the major credit bureaus and watch for unusual activity.

Preserve all evidence — do not delete messages, emails, or screenshots.

Even if you did not lose money, report the attempted scam. Your report helps law enforcement track

patterns and protects others.

Remember: No legitimate rental requires you to send money or sensitive data before you have seen

the property and verified the landlord. When in doubt, walk away and report it.

Stay vigilant. Protect yourself and your neighbors.

If you have information about ongoing rental fraud in our community, contact Plattsburgh Police

Department or submit a tip through the tip line. All contact information is located at the bottom of the

community alert flyer

Authorized release by; Chief Jarrod Trombley