Two Illawarra, NSW, women have taken to social media to warn others about an online scam involving would-be fraudsters trying to lure unsuspecting home hunters into paying bonds for rental properties that don't exist.
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Thirroul, a suburb of Wollongong south of Sydney, homeowner Christine Boyden posted in the Thirroul Living Facebook page on Friday that she had been approached by a couple enquiring on behalf of friends from Adelaide who had been told her property was for rent.
"They advised me their friends had been contacted privately on a Facebook rental page saying this address - my house - was up for rent for $450 and they wanted the bond paid first," she said.
"I told them my house wasn't available for rent and that'd I'd lived in it all my life and had no intention of moving."
Speaking to the Mercury, Ms Boyden said the revelation her home was being used as part of a scam left her feeling uneasy.
"I'm a bit lost for words really - I feel like it's an invasion of my privacy," she said.
"Hopefully it's a one-off but it may not be."
Meanwhile, single mum Jackie Smith took to the Thirroul Living Facebook page on Saturday to warn others about her experience of being the target of a would-be scammer.
She said she was contacted after posting on the Wollongong Houses, Rooms, Rentals Facebook page earlier in the week seeking a new rental.
The person purported to own a house in Thirroul that was currently vacant and available for rent. She was offered the Lawrence Hargrave Drive property for $450 a week, plus an $1,8000 upfront bond.
The person went on to give Ms Smith the address, which the Mercury has chosen not to print but is a different property to Ms Boyden's.
The person said once Ms Smith had transferred the bond money, they would send the keys to the house and a stamped bond receipt to her current address.
However, Ms Smith met resistance when she asked for contact details for her would-be landlord and to inspect the property, saying she was told contact could only be via Messenger and there was no one available to show her through the house.
Suspecting she was being conned, Ms Smith said she visited the address she'd been given and informed the home owners their property was being used in a scam.
An increasing problem
Australians have lost over $300,000 to rental and accommodation scams this year, up 76 per cent on last year, according to the consumer watchdog.
Scamwatch, run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, said it had received 560 reports of rental scams so far in 2020, an increase of 56 per cent, with many fraudsters using tactics related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scams target people seeking new rental accommodation by offering fake rental properties to convince people into handing over money or personal information.
"Scammers are offering reduced rents due to COVID-19 and using the government restrictions to trick people into transferring money without inspecting the property," ACCC Deputy Commissioner Delia Rickard said.
The scammer will post advertisements on real estate or classified websites or target people who have posted on social media that they are looking for a room.
After the victim responds, the scammer will request an upfront deposit to secure the property or phish for personal information through a 'tenant application form', promising to provide the keys after the payment or information is provided.
"The loss of personal information through rental scams is becoming more common, with scammers requesting copies of identity documents such as passports, bank statements or payslips," Ms Rickard said.
"Once a scammer has your personal information you are at risk of being targeted by further scams or identity theft."
"Many people are also experiencing financial difficulties due to the pandemic and the financial impact of falling victim to a scam can be devastating," Ms Rickard said.
People aged 25-34 reported the most rental scams so far in 2020, and the most reports came from NSW, Victoria and the ACT.
Ms Rickard urged house hunters to try and view a property in person before paying any bond or rent money to landlords or real estate agents.
Anyone who believes they have been the victim of a scam is urged to contact the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 or visit www.scamwatch.gov.au