AVOIDING APARTMENT SCAMS. Please read first
Steps
Search and browse within your own city or state limits. This will give you and the seller the opportunity to meet in person.
Try all attempts to exchange in person instead of mailing money. Unlike E-Bay, RentQuickly.com is not responsible of transaction mishaps.
Always provide Money Order or Certified checks. Avoid giving cash by all means.
Prioritize posts with pictures than text only posts. If you are interested with a non-image post or would like more details, contact the poster but do not make any offers until you are fully satisfied. If they don't get back to you, look for something else.
Have some knowledge of what the item's average price is. This is more common for renting an apartment or buying a car. Ask friends for a reasonable price range for that specific item. Apartments can be very expensive especially in the big cities like New York. If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
Tips
A serious seller will leave some kind of contact information, for example, a phone number, name, or email address.
Don't take the first interesting item as priority; jot it down and browse around.
If you don't find anything in your taste, wait until the next day or use another source.
If it's too good to be true, then it probably is.
Information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, social security numbers and other similar numbers should not be given out unless the individual is positive who will be receiving the information and that it is being transmitted over a secure server. This is important because this information can be used for identity theft or other fraudulent purposes.
Warnings
When renting an apartment or house, be aware that it is illegal for a landlord to enforce anything above the first month's rent for the security deposit. So if an apartment is going for $1,500 and the first month's rent is higher than that - it's a scam.
Sometimes situations will occur where the security deposit required is 1.5 or 2 times the monthly rental. The most common reason this occurs is because of tenants with poor credit reports or spotty rental history. Another reason may be pet damage deposit. A third may be the fist month's rent is "discounted" to entice early occupancy of a new or rehabbed unit.
DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam.
NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
RENTQUICKLY.COM IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification"
NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
Who should I notify about fraud or scam attempts?
FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)
FTC online complaint form (www.ftc.gov)
Canadian PhoneBusters hotline: 888-495-8501
Internet Fraud Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov/)
Non-emergency number for your local police department.
If you suspect that an item posted for sale on craigslist may be part of a scam, please email the details to "abuse@craigslist.org". Be sure to include the URL (or eight-digit post ID number) in your message.
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