Hyderabad: Police warn property owners over frauds related to rental advertisements

Criminals are posing as prospective tenants to gain access to homes, only to attack or rob unsuspecting residents. Further, property owners are also being duped by cyber crooks online

Hyderabad: Property owners in the city must exercise extreme caution while putting up ‘To-Let’ boards, as incidents of crime related to rental advertisements are on the rise in the city. Criminals are posing as prospective tenants to gain access to homes, only to attack or rob unsuspecting residents. Further, property owners are also being duped by cyber crooks online.

Many cases have been reported in the city during the recent weeks where homeowners, especially those living alone or elderly individuals, were approached by individuals under the guise of seeking rental accommodations. Once inside the premises, these imposters either attempted robbery or robbed or physically assaulted the owners.

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“These offenders recce residential colonies and identify properties with ‘To-Let’ boards and approach the residents. Further, pretending to inspect the property, they enter the house to rob or commit chain snatchings,” said a senior police official from North Zone.

People should avoid allowing strangers into their homes without proper verification, the official added.

On the other hand, cybercrime units have also reported a surge in online scams related to rental properties. In these cases, fraudsters target property owners who post rental listings on online platforms. By impersonating interested tenants or agents, the criminals extract sensitive information or trick owners into transferring money under false pretenses, duping victims of several lakhs.

These scammers are sending fake IDs and payment screenshots to build trust before committing the fraud.

Police authorities requested homeowners to consider safer alternatives such as using verified rental agencies, conducting background checks through official channels, and avoiding posting physical or online listings with personal contact details exposed.

Residents are advised to report any suspicious activity immediately to the police or through the Cybercrime Helpline at 1930.

Stay Alert:

*Avoid putting up visible “To-Let” boards.

*Always verify tenant credentials.

*Use trusted rental platforms and never share personal or banking details online.

*Report suspicious activity immediately to the police.