r/Glasgow Tools

TitlePossible renting scam
AuthorConfused_Zed
Body
So I've been checking out rental listings on Facebook Marketplace (among many other websites... along with many other people...), and today I came across two brand new looking, too good to be true listings. Contacted the people who posted them and they sent me almost similar responses which triggered certain alarms (I've been scammed before, unfortunately).

Basically they both gave a story about how they are out of the country and are looking to rent their flats, *through AIRBNB.* They give information about the flat and explain that they trust AIRBNB and so they want to use AIRBNB's service blah blah blah. Of course I ask to actually schedule a viewing of the apartment, and neither of them answered me. Instead lectured me about how AIRBNB works (which is kind of really fishy, because in all my bookings with airbnb it has never worked this way)

This is what one of them sent me:

>*First you must reserve the apartment via Airbnb for one month and after you've made the booking, Airbnb will send you via email the invoice with all details about your booking.*
>
>*As soon as you will receive the invoice you have 24 hours to complete the payment to confirm your booking.*
>
>*As soon as Airbnb will receive your payment, they will contact you to fix the date of inspection. Their agent will come in 2-3 days after your payment is confirmed to present the apartment and give you the contract. The contract is signed by me and you can choose for how long you want to rent the apartment. The monthly rent will be the same for whole period.*
>
>*Once you inspected the apartment you have two options:*
>
>*1: You will take the apartment and sign the contract. After you've signed the contract Airbnb will release me your money.*
>
>*2: But I don't think you will use this option, you'll tell to the agent that you don't want to rent my apartment and Airbnb will refund you the money in 48 hours.*
>
>*I've chosen Airbnb because they offer a guarantee for both of us.*
>
>*To continue I need from you a photo with your Passport ID or any official document of you. As soon as I'll receive this document, I'll send you the link to make the booking.*

This is totally a scam, right? AIRBNB doesn't work this way. I've never heard of any "agents" ever. Unless that's actually a thing and I just didn't know? Anyway I haven't given any information, and I know not to book anything without seeing it.

Just wanted to put this out there and know what y'all think. Hopefully this helps some people too, to please be careful.
Reddit Linkhttps://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/pyqtbh/possible_renting_scam/
CreatedThu 30th Sep 2021 7:19pm
Statusnormal (Removed by [])

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