Santa Barbara County Officials Warn Residents to Look Out for Rental Listing Scams
As Housing Becomes More Scarce, Real Estate and Rental Scams Are on the Rise Across the County
Finding housing in Santa Barbara can be near impossible for prospective tenants, leaving apartment seekers and incoming students desperate for any available units. But Santa Barbara County officials are now warning residents to be on the lookout for rental listing scams, which are increasing both countywide and across the country as scammers become more aggressive in their tactics.
The Santa Barbara County Housing and Community Development Division sent out a statement Thursday urging potential tenants to “remain vigilant” for rental listing scams, which often lure victims with the promise of low-cost rentals that may not even be available.
“Often, rental listings are copied from legitimate listings by a scammer who then markets the units as their own, perhaps at an appealing rent in order to attract even more unsuspecting victims,” County Housing and Programs Manager Laurie Baker said in the statement. “Apartment seekers must use extreme caution to avoid becoming a victim of scam.”
