Consumer organisation Which? claims there are some 1,000 reports of rental fraud scams a month at this time of year.

It says the start of the academic year sees a scramble to secure accommodation from students making last-minute choices on universities and colleges.

Which? calculates that this leads to £2.7m lost as prospective tenants pay deposits or so-called viewing fees to fake landlords, often advertising on social media and then being impossible to trace.

The organisation says these rental fraud scams can be incredibly convincing.

One new student lost £1,500 after being convinced by a fake landlord to pay a deposit to view a property. The scammer provided official-looking paperwork, a tenancy agreement, a passport for proof of ID and an apparent video tour of the property. After paying the money, the victim was blocked by the ‘landlord’.

Which? says: “Don’t trust listings you find on social media. Use a letting agent or official housing provided by your University. Letting agents should be a member of a redress scheme – the Property Ombudsman or Property Redress Scheme. 

“If in doubt, trust your instincts. Never make a payment to a stranger via bank transfer or PayPal’s ‘friends and family’ option. 

If you’ve lost money to a rental scam, contact your bank immediately and report the scam to Action Fraud, or the police if you are in Scotland.”

It has issued this guide: questions to ask when choosing a rental property.

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