Mumbai, Nov 5 (PTI) The Maharashtra cyber police have urged citizens to stay cautious about fake property listings on popular online platforms and not get carried away by “beautiful images” or “extremely low rent”.
According to an advisory by the cyber police, scammers impersonate landlords or agents and demand advance payments via UPI or bank transfers.
Cybercriminals use platforms like OLX, Facebook Marketplace, and WhatsApp to dupe people, it said on Tuesday.
After initial talks with a prospective buyer or tenant, fraudsters bring up pretexts like “no physical visit allowed because the owner is abroad” or demand an advance to “block” the deal, it said.
While “extremely low rent” or “beautiful property images” are being used to lure victims, cybercriminals communicate only via WhatsApp or Telegram, use fake IDs and send rental agreements only digitally, an official said.
The cyber police have appealed to the public not to pay any advance without physically verifying a property. It urged citizens to make video calls to the agent or owner or meet them personally, besides using verified rental platforms with escrow or secure payment options.
Do not fall for deals that seem too good to be true, it said.
Officials have asked people to contact the cybercrime helpline 1930 if they find anything suspicious about the callers or persons approaching them about rental issues. PTI ZA NR
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.