Nowadays, the internet allows us to do just about anything we want to do without having to leave the comfort of your homes. That includes renting an apartment. You can find quite a number of listing sites that will let you see photos of the room as well as all the amenities and utilities provided by the landlord. Some apartments even offer 3D virtual tours of the room so that you can look at it from all angles. This will help you to make a better decision overall.

However, like many other online purchases, the margin for error and disappointment is quite high. You may not get the room that you bargained for. To protect yourself, it’s important for you to make sure that you avoid doing business with scammers.

With that said, here are three mistakes most online apartment renters make that you should avoid:

1. Not knowing who you’re dealing with

You should have all the credentials of the person you’re talking to, as that means that you know who’s responsible for the deal. The internet allows people to be somewhat anonymous, which may enable them to pull off a scam that won’t be possible if the business was conducted traditionally -- with a firm handshake.

It’s important to make sure that you’re dealing with the owner directly. This gives you the opportunity to see who they are and gives you a point of contact if something is to go wrong. Additionally, you should keep all the evidence of the conversation to prove that they had the intention to deceive you, should the deal go south. This way, you can be sure that your best interests are represented to their full extent in the court of law.

Additionally, you should look for an apartment that was placed on a reputable listing site. These websites will let you see the credentials of each real estate agent, which can give you peace of mind as you will know exactly who you’re dealing with.

2. Falling for a deal that’s too good to be true

Another trick that many online scammers often use is fooling one to believe in a deal that’s too good to be true. You should always be skeptical when a deal is so favorable, as more often than not, there’s something wrong with that apartment. A 2-bedroom apartment in the middle of Manhattan for $500 a month, for instance, is probably not going to be what you’d expect. Chances are that the room either doesn’t exist or is in a run-down state.

When encountering such a deal, you have to approach the situation logically, trying to think of a reason why the apartment would be so cheap. There are times when amazing deals are real, so you shouldn’t shut the option down completely. Nevertheless, you should be wary of what the landlord is asking you to do. For example, if they’re asking you to put down a deposit before you even get to see the room, it’s best for you to stay as far away from them as possible.

The real estate market in New York City is by far the most competitive in the world. Therefore, you shouldn’t expect anything to go below a certain threshold. Some initial research will always be required when you see a cheap deal. Websites such as New York Habitat will tell you the average price range of an apartment in certain areas of the city. You can cross-check the deal with these sites so that you have a better idea of what to expect.

3. Transferring money through untrustworthy payment methods

If you’ve finally settled on a deal, don’t get complacent just yet. You will still have to be concerned about payment. A reputable and credible landlord would never ask you to pay for the rent or the deposit via any shady methods.

The transfer method needs to be traceable and trackable, as that will provide you with evidence of the transaction. Some of the most common methods of online apartment rental are e-banking, credit card payment, and PayPal deposits. These are all viable options, as both parties will have access to all the transaction history that they can use as evidence of fraud if the case is to go to court.

While a cash payment option is often available, you need to make sure that you receive a proper receipt for the transaction. This way, you can avoid running into issues such as the landlord saying that the transaction didn’t happen because there’s no evidence.

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