Scammers target hopeful tenants amid rental crisis in Gippsland

Cruel scammers are preying on hopeful tenants who are desperate to find rental properties during a crippling crisis in Gippsland.

Scammers are targeting vulnerable tenants who are desperate to find rental properties during a crippling crisis in Gippsland.

Fake landlords are using private rental Facebook groups to prey on people who are searching for properties by lying about homes available to rent.

It comes as Gippsland is in the midst of a rental crisis with some families applying for more than 150 homes and being rejected for every single one.

Phillip Island’s Rhiannon Ross was almost a victim to a scam after a fake Facebook profile offered her a rental property.

“I was obviously upset but more concerned for others out there because I was so close to handing money over myself out of desperation and hope to lock in a house,” she said.

The single mum said she realised it was a scam after she was asked to pay a $1600 bond upfront and was sent a lease contract with no details of the landlord.

“The account name where they wanted money differed from their Facebook name and when I wanted to meet up or talk over the phone, they got defensive,” Mr Ross said.

“The photos of the inside of the house they sent me didn’t match up to the outside of the house I viewed.”

Ms Ross said she had been looking for a rental property for more than six months as the house she is leasing is set to be demolished.

“It was scary because if I hadn’t of realised, I would have handed over my entire savings almost which is what keeps my four-year-old son and I going,” Ms Ross said.

“We could have potentially ended up homeless with no money to eat.”

Multiple other hopeful tenants took to Gippsland Private Rentals Facebook group to detail their experiences with scammers.

“Don’t trust this lady as she was trying to rent this house out to me when it’s got people in it,” one man said.

“She tried to get a $1000 bond off me so be careful of this person.”

Another woman shared screenshots of a conversation with a scammer who offered her a rental property in Traralgon.

After the woman questioned the scammer about the house, the fake landlord — who wanted a deposit — deleted the messages.

Consumer Affairs Victoria said it was important to protect yourself when looking for a house.

“Scammers advertise rental properties on well-known property websites,” they said.

“When you express interest, they say they are overseas or interstate and that you must conduct the transaction online.

“The scammers may try to appear genuine by providing photos, real addresses of properties, land title deeds and even scans of stolen passports.”

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