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Tips to avoid scams and frauds

We care about the ecurity of our users, that's why we systematically check the listings before they are published on the site and we actively collaborate with the Postal Police. Logo Commissariato

Recognize listing scam

How to recognize a scam listing?

  • Listings are often accompanied by high quality photos or renderings, also used on other Italian or foreign sites to promote different properties.
  • The home, with the same features and condition, is priced significantly less than the market.
  • The scammer often claims to be abroad or unable to meet the user in person to visit the property.
  • The scammer gets contacted mainly by email and almost never makes his phone numbers visible. In the few cases where he publishes the listing with a phone contact, he does not answer calls but leaves messages and then calls back, often from anonymous or foreign numbers.
  • The scammer asks to receive the deposit money via prepaid cards, money orders or money transfer serviceseldom via traceable means of payment (wire transfer).
  • In the case of rental properties, the scammer often reports that he has also published his listing on Airbnb and that he wants to enter into a contract through that portal in order to collect the deposit and only then send the keys to the apartment. Together with the contract, which has no value, he also sends as collateral some identity documents that he says are his but are always fake or stolen. This serves to convince the interested party to pay the deposit (through means often not traceable) and then send the keys of the house, which obviously will never arrive.
Avoid scams

What to pay attention to

  • Never give out your personal details or other sensitive information

    Be wary of people who ask you for your bank account number, credit card, charge card or other information about your personal data: none of this is necessary during the negotiation phase.

  • Beware of excessively low prices

    Be wary of proposals with excessively low price compared to the market.

  • Do not send money in advance and do not make payments without first viewing the property

    Don't send money up front, first arrange an in-person meeting with the advertiser to view the property together. Often the scammer will decline this request stating that they are abroad or unable to make the appointment.

  • Never use insecure money transfer services

    Be wary of those who offer payments via prepaid cards, money orders or money transfer services such as MoneyGram or Western Union: these systems offer minimal protection compared to checks or wire transfers, which are traceable. Be careful if you are offered an escrow service: there are several online whose reliability and trustworthiness is very poor.

  • Immobiliare.it does not act as an intermediary and will not ask you for any money for deposits

    Some scammers may present themselves as Immobiliare.it Customer Service. Under no circumstances will Immobiliare.it ask you to send money for deposits or advances related to the sale or rental of property.

  • If you have published a listing, do not let yourself pay deposits without first meeting the people who are interested in your property

    Some scammers are interested in the published properties and are also in a hurry to lock them in. For this reason, they pay down deposits, without even having visited the house, with uncovered checks or from empty bank accounts, then pretend to have exceeded the money and ask for the balance back on prepaid cards or through unsecured means of payment. Never accept money in advance from someone who has not seen the property, who avoids face-to-face meetings and who is reluctant to send their identification.

Scam victim

Have you been the victim of an online scam?

  • Denounces promptly the episode to the competent authorities (Offices of the Postal Police and Communications)
  • Tell us what happened, including the link to the listing and any additional information you have. We can then remove the listing and take action to prevent other users from being scammed.

Do you have something to report?

Contact Immobiliare.it

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