Watch Out for Sublet Scams
UW–Madison’s Campus Area Housing Office reminds students to be aware of rental scams in Madison. Students trying to find someone to sublet their apartments are especially vulnerable. Here are a few tips to identify scams:
- The e-mail message will come by way of “bcc” or blind copy.
- The grammar and spelling will sometimes be poor.
- The e-mail will use broad terms, rather than specifics, about an apartment.
- The scammer will offer to send more money than required. The money will be sent as a cashier’s check, which the student cashes at a financial institution, wiring back the excess money. A few days later the bank will learn that the check is bad and will seek to recoup those funds from the student — including the money sent to the scammer.
For more information about rental scams, visit the Campus Area Housing website.