Chinese nationals looking for accommodation in NZ targeted
Rental scammers are targeting Chinese nationals looking for accommodation in New Zealand.
Police have received several reports of a rental property scam involving the Chinese community, a spokesperson said yesterday.
The scammers are targeting people based in China who are on the hunt for somewhere to rent, in particular the Auckland city area.
“We are seeing reports of this scam recently being advertised on a popular New Zealand-based Chinese web forum,” the spokesperson said.
In all instances, the scammers pose as legitimate landlords or real estate agents, police say.
The person seeking a rental property is then usually asked to make contact with the supposed landlord or agent over on messaging app WeChat.
The fraudster will send alleged proof of identity through to the renter, usually in the form of a real-looking passport photo or official-looking document.
The renter is then asked to digitally sign a false tenancy agreement and transfer money, usually thousands of dollars, to a New Zealand-based bank account to secure the rental property.
The scammer often asks the renter for more money – again usually in the thousands – to reserve the property, telling them a New Zealand-based tenant was also interested in the property.
If the China-based renter doesn’t pay, the property would be rented out to the New Zealand-based renter, and they would lose it, the scammer says.
Often, the victim is asked for a third payment, to ensure the supposed rental property is furnished.
Upon arriving in New Zealand, however, the renter will then find that their supposed rental property is already occupied.
These scams can be carried out from anywhere in the world and are prevalent on many online platforms, police warned.
Before giving people money or making any kind of agreement, police urge people to consider:
■ Never transfer money to an individual or organisation that you can't verify as legitimate.
■ A legitimate landlord or real estate agent will have a website, generally a physical address, and you should be able to speak to more than one person from that organisation.
■ If possible, get a New Zealand-based friend or family member to view the alleged rental property to prove it is legitimate.
■ If you believe you are being currently targeted by a scam that sounds like this, please end contact immediately and get in touch with Police.
■ Trust your instincts, if it sounds like a scam, it probably is.