Missoula Police Provide Red Flag Reminders About Housing Scams

Are there any great deals to be found when it comes to renting a place in Missoula? The ol' "too good to be true" saying is usually correct when it comes to eyebrow-raising offers you might see posted online. But even though there are plenty of red flags, people still let hope get the best of them and get taken advantage of by scammers. The Missoula Police Department took to social media to remind everyone about some of the red flags that can help prevent you from being a victim of a scam.

Everyone wants to find a unicorn of a deal

It's no secret that the housing market in Missoula has reached full-on BONKERS status! Just last week we shared a story about how the Missoula market is eerily similar to San Francisco's. Just today I had a hallway conversation with a co-worker about their recent monthly price increases because they pay below the market value for rent and the owners know they can get more out of them. And when it comes to trying to buy a place around town? It's an adventure where places don't even stay on the market for a full day before someone is paying way over the asking price. The situation makes for desperation and scammers realize anything that seems like a good deal will get plenty of interest from those hoping to save money.

MPD's post on Facebook mentioned a few things that should serve as red flags when you see any unbelievable deal associated with renting a property:

• The landlord claims to live out of town but can't give you the names of local businesses they use for home repairs.
• Only communicates with you via text or email.
• Waives all application fees and wants you to send money ASAP via PayPal, Venmo, or pre-loaded gift cards.
• Too good to be true offers like a 4-bedroom house for a low price of $900 a month.

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You might read the list above and think to yourself that it's all common knowledge. But unfortunately, there's a reason we have to constantly see reminders like this. Scammers are always on the prowl and people are always trying to score great deals that often don't really exist. Be careful out there!