Ahead of the new academic year, fraudsters have begun actively using a new scheme against students coming to study in large cities. Scammers post ads for non-existent rental housing and try to get an advance payment for an apartment that doesn't actually exist. This was warned by Evgeny Masharov, a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation's commission on public control and work with citizens' appeals.
According to the public figure, such rental offers often look very attractive. The ads indicate fresh renovations, a convenient location near the university, low rental costs, and no utility payments.
In some cases, scammers try to create the appearance of a real estate agency. They may open an office, draw up contracts, and ask for payment for the apartment or an advance payment.
After receiving the money, communication with the "realtor" ceases, and the contacts of the alleged owner of the housing turn out to be invalid.
Many young people come to large cities to study, and, of course, the issue of housing arises. Scammers are right there. They publish fake rental ads demanding advance payment.
Earlier, Masharov also spoke about other schemes that students may face before the start of the academic year. Scammers have started using fake scholarship processing and dormitory booking to obtain personal and banking data.
Scammers may impersonate dean's office employees, admissions committees, or accounting departments and offer to arrange a place in a dormitory or extend their stay through fake websites.