MEMBERS of the public are being urged to take precautions when arranging to rent properties online.

The warning came from the North Wales Police Cyber Crime team in recent days.

A spokesman said: "We are seeing an increase in incidents whereby members of the public are attempting to rent properties in the North Wales area using social media.

"Victims are paying upfront for the accommodation only to find that the person they are dealing with is not the owner of the property." 

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Here are some top tips to protect yourself from rental fraud: 

  • Don’t send money to anyone advertising rental properties online until you’re sure the advertiser is genuine
  • Don’t pay any money until you or a reliable contact has visited the property with an agent or the landlord
  • Ask for copies of tenancy agreements and any safety certificates such as Gas Electricity or HMO Licence
  • Do not be pressurised into transferring large sums of money. Transfer funds to a bank account having obtained the details by contacting the landlord or agent directly after the above steps have been followed. Be sceptical if you’re asked to transfer any money via a money transfer service like Western Union.

The spokesman added: "If you know of anyone currently looking for a property to rent, please make them aware of the above."