How to avoid online rental scams

This list is a compilation of tips from Delaware State Attorney's Office, Ocean City Police Department and real estate agents. 

•Consider working with a licensed realtor or property management company.

If using a third party website like Craigslist or VRBO:

•Determine whether the property appears on other websites and make contact with the listing agents to determine which is the legitimate advertisement.

•Research who the true owner of the property is as well as tax information by doing a parcel search online. In Sussex County, visit: www.sussexcountyde.gov/zoning-and-sales-information. In Maryland, visit: www.sdat.dat.maryland.gov/RealProperty/Pages/default.aspx.

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•Get familiar with the site's polices for detecting and dealing with potentially fraudulent listings.

•Never pay any security deposit or rental payment in cash.

•Compare the rate of the rental to the market value. If it's suspiciously low, it may be too good to be true.

•Check for multiple misspellings in the listing.

•If the listing was posted on an online platform, such as Craigslist, the consumer should also file complaints with the online platform and with federal law enforcement at www.ic3.gov.