Fake Rental Assistance Scams
There are countless assistance and short term load scams out there!
Be careful always!
Avoid Scammers Offering To Pay Your Rent
If you’re facing eviction for any reason, there are organizations out there who can help you. But there are also fake “organizations” and “charities” who can hurt you.
COVID-19 has created an even greater opportunity for scammers to target people — people who are just trying to get help with paying their rent or taking care of other financial needs. Scammers may call, email, or text, saying you can get money for rent. Or they may say they can get you legal help to avoid eviction. No matter what kind of help they promise, these scammers always tell you to give them money upfront or hand over your personal information first. But those are dead giveaways that it’s a scam.
Whether someone you don’t know contacts you out of the blue or you go looking for rental assistance, here are ways to protect yourself:
- Never give your Social Security, bank account, credit card, or debit card number to anyone who contacts you. And even if you’re the one reaching out, do your research on the organization first, before you share your info.
- If you look online for help with your rent, search for the name of the groups you find, plus the words