Alarming reports reveal that hundreds of people in Singapore have fallen prey to rental scams, losing a staggering S$1.8 million (US$1.34 million) or more.

Singaporean police disclosed that between July and November, at least 287 individuals were ensnared in scams where victims were coerced into making payments to secure property viewings or rentals.

The scams primarily targeted prospective renters who responded to listings on popular platforms such as Facebook, Carousell, or rental advertisement websites.

Facebook, in particular, accounted for the largest number of cases, with fake property listings posing a significant challenge.

Scammers, impersonating registered property agents associated with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA), engaged victims through WhatsApp.

They provided pictures of CEA registration numbers, business cards, and virtual property tours. However, the contact numbers provided did not match the official CEA-registered numbers.

In the scam, victims expressing interest in viewing properties were pressured by scammers, claiming high demand, to pay a deposit.

Subsequently, scammers severed all contact with the victims, leaving them deceived and without recourse.

The police issued warnings to the public, urging caution against relying solely on Facebook or Carousell listings.

Prospective renters were advised to verify the authenticity of agents by checking the advertised phone numbers against the CEA public register.

If a phone number is not registered with the CEA, it indicates a potential scam, even if the agent’s name and registration number are found in the register.

Additionally, the police emphasised that property agents should not demand payment for viewings, and rental deposits must be paid into agency bank accounts, not those of personal assistants.

Prospective renters were encouraged to contact property agencies directly to verify listings’ authenticity, rather than relying on contact numbers provided in online listings.

The police called on the public to report fraudulent listings to the respective online platforms to prevent further victimization.

This surge in rental scams highlights the need for increased vigilance among prospective renters and underscores the challenges posed by fraudulent activities on popular online platforms.