High school diploma: check. Acceptance to post-secondary schooling: check. Place to live during schooling: not yet.

For students who aren't living on campus this fall and have yet to nail down a place to live, finding a rental can be intimidating with scammers ready to pounce.

The Better Business Bureau's Leah Brownridge says to help make sure these students don't get scammed, they need reliable outlets to start their housing hunt.

"You want to make sure that you're looking online with reputable websites that you are familiar with and may have possibly dealt with before," Brownridge says. "You want to make sure when you are on those rental sites that you know what to look for when it comes to those postings."

Brownridge says there's a few simple ways to make sure a property checks out through the internet.

"You want to make sure that those pictures aren't taken from another posting and you want to make sure the address that they give actually matches up with the rental property itself. You can check those things by just doing a basic Google search and seeing what comes up. For the address, if it takes you to a non-residential area or maybe it takes you to another part of the city."

The Better Business Bureau also recommends the following tips:

What does a phony rental posting look like?

  • There are no pictures posted with the ad: Though some legitimate landlords and property owners ask prospective tenants to contact them for pictures via email, it could be a red flag.
  • Or, they use low resolution or professional pictures: Be wary of professional and low-resolution photos. Scammers often use real estate photos and model homes in their ads. Do an online search of the photos used in the listing to make sure they don't appear in other listings.
  • There's no address, or the address listed doesn't match local areas: Do an online map search of the address to confirm that it is the actual location of the rental. If your search takes you to a non-residential place, keep looking.
  • The ad states that bad credit doesn't matter: As a property owner, asking for references and even proof of employment is understandable. But, if the ad says a credit check is mandatory, and assures you that it's ok even if you have bad credit, it's most likely a red flag.

BBB says do the heavy-lifting beforehand by researching rentals with these tips:

  • If the deal sounds too good to be true, keep looking. Scammers will often list a rental for a very low price to lure in victims.  Find out how comparable listings are priced, and if the rental comes in suspiciously low, walk away.
  • Be sure to meet with the property owner in person.Scammers might say they have just been relocated out of the country for a job or missionary work. If they can't meet with you in person, it's time to move on. Also consider taking a friend with you. 
  • Don't pay upfront. Don't hand over any money before inspecting the home, inside and out.
  • Don't wire money to someone you don't know. Money sent via wire transfer services is extremely difficult to retrieve and once the scammers have picked it up, there is little recourse-if any-for getting your money back.
  • Take your time during the inspection.Take your time to make note of any damage to walls and floors, be sure the windows open smoothly and test all appliances. The landlord will ask you to sign the inspection form, so be sure you agree with all notations before you do so. 
  • Get it in writing, and read the contract carefully. Don't rely on verbal agreements. Get a written contract that includes any promises or agreements you've discussed with the landlord as well as the cost of rent and utilities, payment timelines, the duration of the lease and the lease cancellation policy. This is a good time to discuss your landlord's policy on painting, hanging items on walls, hiring repair people etc...
  • Know what's covered (and what's not) in the utilities. Some rentals will include all utilities in the listed rent price, while others will only include heat and water or a combination of cable, Internet, gas or electricity, trash pickup and pet fees. These things can add up quickly. Find out if any of these are covered by the landlord or apartment complex and what you will be responsible for.
  • Know your rights. As a renter, you want to make sure you understand your rights and responsibilities. Check the Residential Tenancies Act for information about tenant, landlord and rental agency rights before committing to a rental agreement.

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