Housing Scams: A Different Kind of Danger

The Story

I’m sure by now many of you have read these articles about dangers and ways to protect yourselves. Usually, the stories are about physical dangers and what you can do to protect your life. There are so many dangers out there that have nothing to do with the physical. Have you heard about monetary scams that can be a danger to your cyber- and financial security?

A Housing Scam Victimizes Dozens

A woman in Ocala, Florida was one of many victims of a housing rental scam. One day dozens of people came to her home stating that they were interested in renting. Multiple families had paperwork stating that they were in a contracted rental agreement. The homeowner was confused and angry trying to find a way to deal with all of these people trying to get into her home. She was just one of the victims. Apparently, each family found this home on a rental website, many signed leases, and almost all of them paid some kind of fee to rent this home.

Each person involved is a victim. Each family that thought they found the perfect rental home has the potential to become homeless. Many of these people lost thousands of dollars sent to this scam organization for fees, rent, and security deposits.

Reported by WCJB 20

What Can We Learn?

Why am I sharing this story? This has nothing to do with self-defense or physical dangers. Well, it’s simple. You need to practice self-defense across all areas of your life. Cyber crimes are a very real and very serious danger. Do not send money to just anyone. Do some research. If the website uses wire transfers this is a sign of danger. Before sending any money make sure the website is legitimate. If you aren’t sure, that is a red flag. Look at reviews on other websites like Google and Yelp to see what kind of reputation they have and how long they have been around. Read my article about cybersecurity for other tips on how to protect yourself.