¡Conseguiste el apartamento! Detecta las estafas de listados de anuncios de propiedades en alquiler antes de pagar

 

Lo has encontrado: un anuncio del apartamento perfecto fuera del campus. El agente del alquiler te dijo que enviaras un depósito en garantía a través de una transferencia de dinero. ¿Suena sospechoso? Porque es sospechoso. ¿Pero puedes detectar otras estafas de anuncios de propiedades en alquiler antes de pagar?

Los estafadores saben que es posible que los estudiantes estén buscando alojamiento fuera del campus. Algunos estafadores se apropian de listados de anuncios de alquiler reales, cambiando la información de contacto y volviéndolos a publicar en diferentes sitios de alquiler. Luego te cobran cargos, depósitos o incluso la renta de viviendas que en realidad no están en alquiler.

Para evitar las estafas de listados de propiedades en alquiler:

• Investiga un poco. Haz una búsqueda en línea ingresando el nombre de la compañía administradora junto con palabras como “review”, “complaint” o “scam”; si haces la búsqueda en español, reemplaza esas palabras con “comentario”, “queja” o “estafa”. Si encuentras comentarios negativos, puede que te convenga buscar en otro lado.
• Verifica quién y qué. Llama al número que figura en el sitio web de la compañía administradora, no al que figura en el anuncio, para asegurarte de que el agente de ese anuncio trabaje en esa compañía. Fíjate si el domicilio de la vivienda figura en el sitio web de la compañía. Si no lo encuentras, podría ser una estafa.
• Visita la propiedad en alquiler en persona. Visita el apartamento (o envía a un amigo de confianza) para asegurarte de que sea el mismo que se anuncia. Si nadie puede visitar la propiedad personalmente, averigua otras opciones en tu escuela. Y si un propietario te insiste para que le pagues un cargo o un depósito antes de mostrarte el lugar, sigue buscando. Es más que probable que sea un estafador.
• Paga con tarjeta de crédito porque es lo más seguro. Los estafadores insisten para que pagues de maneras que te dificultan recuperar tu dinero, por ejemplo, transferencias de dinero, efectivo, criptomonedas o a través de aplicaciones de pago como CashApp, Venmo o Zelle. Aunque te digan que el dinero es reembolsable, es más que probable que no te lo devuelvan nunca.
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  Royal Rose
  Interno, División de Educación al Consumidor y Negocios, FTC
  10 de Ago de 2023

City of Weston

 

NEWS FROM THE CITY OF WESTON July 25, 2023 ‌ Next Regular City Commission Meeting: Monday, August 21 Bulk Trash Pickup is This Week The next quarterly bulk trash pickup is this week. on your regular garbage service day: Wednesday, July 26, Thursday, July 27 or Friday, July 28, (for single family homes and multi-family units with curbside collection) Saturday, July 29, for multi-family units with dumpsters, like townhouses or condos.   Bulk trash includes furniture, refrigerators or air conditioners with Freon removed by a certified dealer, small kitchen appliances, carpets, windowpanes, glass table-tops, mirrors and more. All glass items must be reinforced to prevent breaking, or it will not be collected.   Check out the full list of items in the link below and be sure to place items out at the curb by 7 a.m. on the day of your service.   Learn More » Stay Cool in the Extra Hot Summer Sun This summer has been extra hot in South Florida, with Heat Advisories issued since mid-June. You’ve heard it plenty of times – drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun, seek out air-conditioning – but are you really heeding the warnings?  As the heat goes on, here are a few ways to keep cool:  Drink more water than usual. Flavored water or electrolyte beverages are helpful. Put them in the freezer for a short time to enjoy a slushy treat.  Plan ahead! Avoid strenuous exercise or yardwork during the hottest hours of the day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing, use a wet cooling towel for your neck and wear a hat to help keep your body cool.  Park your vehicle in shady spots and use a sun visor to keep the inside of the vehicle cool.  Is the sidewalk or patio hot to the touch? Keep dogs off the hot pavement or sidewalks until it cools down. Paws burn easily.  And - very important - look before you lock. NEVER leave pets or children in a hot car.  Read More » Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday Ends August 6 The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday is here! Have your kids prepared for the new school year with clothing, footwear, accessories, school supplies, computers, and more all tax exempt. The sales tax holiday runs through Saturday, August 6. Click below to view qualifying items.   Learn More » Kitten Shower at Broward County Animal Care Help take care of young kittens by donating kitten and cat food, toys, baby blankets and nursing kits at the Broward County Animal Care Kitten Shower this Thursday, July 27, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Animal Care Shelter, 2500 SW 42 Street in Fort Lauderdale. There will be games, educational workshops, giveaways, and opportunities to meet with, foster and adopt kittens.   Learn More » 55+ Club: Bingo and Lunch August 2 & 30, 2023 The 55+ Club, programming for active adults, provides a range of activities each week. Activities include luncheon outings, afternoon movies, bus trips, lectures, board game days, and more. Join the club to meet new people looking for entertainment and friendship.   Start the month of August with Bingo and lunch on Wednesday, August 2 at 10:30 a.m. at the Weston Community Center, 20200 Saddle Club Road. Lunch is included with the program day cost. Reserve your spot today.   If you are not able to attend on August 2, no worries! The next bingo and lunch will take place on Wednesday, August 30.  Learn More » Broward Sheriff's Office Burgers and Badges You’ve seen our friends at BSO Weston out around town and now they’re inviting YOU to their table. Join them at Carolina Ale House on Tuesday, August 15, from 6 – 8 P.M. for their Burgers and Badges event. Get to know your local deputies and find out more about how they’re working to keep Weston safe each day. It’s a great opportunity too for curious students and children to meet local deputies and build lasting relationships within their community.   Read More » Amazing Cucumbers Benefits for Everyone Not only does this seemingly miracle fruit (yes, fruit) help you hydrate during the heat of the summer, replacing important electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals, it can also help your body far into the future and has other uses around the home.  Learn More » Multimodal Mobility Master Plan Looking for Focus Group Participants Broward County is looking for a diverse group of participants to engage in a focus group this Fall. The goal of the focus group is to learn more about people’s perceptions of safety, comfort, and convenience of walking and bicycling paths in Broward County.    Please call 954-870-5064 or click below to apply to be a focus group participant.  Apply Here » Read More » Hurricane Preparedness Family Emergency Plan A family emergency and communication plan is an important part of preparations for the hurricane season. Get started on your Emergency Preparedness Plan for your home or business today.   Learn More » FloridaDisaster.org » Ready.gov » Weston Parks to Water Parks, Broward Has it All Trying to stay cool in this SFL heat? Have kids? Dive into the world of splashes and laughter! From thrilling slides to lazy rivers, these aquatic playgrounds promise an unforgettable escape for all ages. Grab your sunscreen and swimsuit, because the fun is about to begin. Broward County has four water parks operated by Broward County Parks that are now open seven days a week, just waiting for the fun to begin.