The spread of fraud in the Balkans: how did I recognize a guy trying to rent me someone else's apartment?

In the last month, in a Facebook group on apartment rentals, users have been sharing their negative experiences and warning about possible scams, while the number of complaints to the police has been increasing.

Two cases of apartment rental scams were recently reported in Dubrovnik, with arrests also occurring in September. The fraudsters placed fake advertisements and demanded that potential victims make an advance payment before viewing the apartment. After that, they would just disappear with the money. In August, a guy in Zagreb rented "apartments" for months, posing as a false tenant.

In the wake of the news, mathematician Tony Milun drew attention to the problem on Facebook and wrote the status, "How did I recognize a scammer who tried to rent me someone else's apartment? "

He pointed out cases that occurred and emphasized the importance of tracking prices in the market. If someone offers an apartment at a price substantially below market value, yet it is not destroyed and does not require major repairs, Milun warns that this is already a signal that something is wrong. He then explained through his own example how to recognize scammers.

"I recently found an advertisement on the internet for an apartment on Črncerec in Zagreb, beautifully renovated and very profitable. Went there and I was met by a young man in his early 30s who he said was the owner of the apartment. I loved the apartment, the price was super, but.... What made me suspicious? He was overly friendly and an important detail was when he said: "Our family also has a summer house in Slovenia and if you like skiing, come for free, we will host you and your friends".

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My light bulb came on right away. Why not invite your longtime friends you know to the cottage instead of me, who you just met? I didn't want to leave a deposit, said I would think about it, and a month later I found out that a friend of an acquaintance had left a deposit and ended up getting scammed. My people, if someone is offering perfectly attractive offers that look like a scam - they are. Don't fall for them. Whether it's a cheap apartment or making money from watching movies, which I wrote about two weeks ago and then confirmed perfectly - people are being scammed. There is no easy way to make money or achieve success all at once. I write a lot about finance, saving, investing, and yet I believe that investing in knowledge is the most profitable investment." (Poslovni.hr)

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