How to Spot and Avoid Rental Scams

Never pay with cash, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. Use traceable payment methods only.

Don't send money before seeing the place in person. If you can't visit, ask for a live virtual tour.

Meet the landlord or property manager. Scammers avoid face-to-face meetings or video calls.

Beware of deals that seem too good to be true. Extremely low rent or extra perks are red flags.

Check the address and ownership. Search the property online and confirm the landlord's identity.

Never share personal or financial info too early. Don't provide SIN, bank info, or ID before signing a lease.

Get everything in writing. Always have a signed lease before paying any deposit.

Keep all correspondence and receipts. Save emails, texts, and payment records.

The "landlord" is out of the country and can't meet you.

You're pressured to act fast or send money quickly.

The listing photos look generic or are copied from other sites.

You're asked for a deposit before seeing the unit or signing a lease.

Contact the team here thebamboohousing@gmail.com we will begin investigating the scam and remove the listing.

Stop all communication with the suspected scammer.

Report the scam to your school's housing office, local police, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Inform your bank if you've sent money.

University Verified Labels: Easily identify and connect with users who have verified their university email, so you know you're dealing with real students.

Report Button: Instantly report suspicious users or listings from any user profile or messaging page. Our admin team reviews all reports promptly.

Active Moderation: Our admin team actively monitors for suspicious activity and bans scammers to keep the community safe.

Extra Protection in Popular Cities: In Waterloo and Hamilton, only verified students can post for free. Others pay a small fee, making it much harder for scammers to post fake listings and keeping your search safer.

Message Rate Limiting: Non-verified users are limited in the number of new conversations they can start each day, helping to prevent spam and scams.