Rental scams
Fraud signs when renting an apartment
Red flags
- ⚠Price 30–50% below market for the same area/condition
- ⚠'Owner away, will mail the keys' — classic scam
- ⚠Asking prepayment/booking BEFORE viewing
- ⚠Photos stolen from other listings — reverse image search
- ⚠'Last chance, 3 others waiting' — pressure tactics
- ⚠Payment to a personal card without contract and receipt
Rule #1: money only after viewing + document check + signed contract. A 'realtor' with no office and no service agreement is a scammer. Fake 'information services' (100–300 UAH for an 'apartment database') are a legal-looking scam — the databases are stale.