Verify the exact home and the contact
A convincing photograph does not establish that a person can rent you a home. Compare the address, unit and contact across the conversation, viewing and proposed agreement. The Competition Bureau warns that rental scams can reuse photos from other listings. Search for conflicting versions and independently verify the company or representative when possible.
- Confirm which unit you are being offered
- Check contact details outside the message thread
- Ask about discrepancies before proceeding
Ask for a viewing you can verify
Arrange a visit to the actual unit. If you cannot attend, consider a trusted local person or a live video visit with specific questions about the rooms and building. A prerecorded tour alone leaves questions unanswered. A viewing is one verification step, not proof that every document or payment request is genuine.
- Confirm the meeting location in advance
- Ask whether photos show the actual unit
- Keep notes about answers that need confirmation
Pause before sending money or sensitive files
High-pressure payment demands and requests for difficult-to-recover payment methods deserve scrutiny. Confirm the recipient and purpose of any payment through independently verified contact details. Check provincial rules before agreeing to deposits. Share only documents necessary for an understood application step, through a channel you trust; ask how the recipient protects and retains them.
- Do not treat urgency as proof of availability
- Verify the payee before transferring funds
- Keep private identifiers out of initial inquiries
Keep evidence and act quickly if something is wrong
Save the listing URL, screenshots, contact details, payment instructions and receipts. If you have sent money, contact your payment provider promptly to ask what recovery options exist. Report suspected fraud to the platform and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or local police. If identity documents were involved, ask the relevant issuer what protective steps are available.
- Save evidence before an advertisement disappears
- Record dates, amounts and recipient details
- Use official contact channels for reports and assistance