Student caught in housing scam

A student was caught out by scammers this week after paying a deposit on a flat that turned out not to be for rent.

The student saw the flat, which was just off the King’s Road, advertised on one of the union’s fresher Facebook groups. After speaking with the person who posted the ad, the student paid them a £450 “holding fee”, which he believed was to confirm his interest before the landlord made the trip down from Liverpool to show the student the property.

After making the bank transfer, however, the landlord cancelled the viewing several times at the last minute, before finally not turning up at all. After the landlord stopped replying to any calls or emails, the student quickly gathered that it had been a scam.

The student has now been told by both the police’s Action Fraud centre for cybercrime reporting and Natwest (where the fraudulent account was opened) that they are unlikely to get the cash back. After making a complaint with the bank, he was told that Natwest told the student that they aren’t responsible and so can take no action.

At least one another Imperial student has fallen victim to a similar scam over the last few months.

The same address was also advertised on Facebook pages related to Queen Mary’s university.

It’s important to remember to not transfer any money until a contract has been signed. Contracts can be checked over by the Student Hub.