Hyderabad: With the demand for affordable accommodation in the city rising, scamsters are using the situation to cheat those intending to rent houses. Promising luxurious amenities and prime locations, these fraudsters vanish after pocketing advance payments.These scams typically involve scammers creating online listings with fabricated details and attractive photographs. Once renters express interest, the fraudsters request advance payments or deposits. Once paid, they vanish.”I was promised a fully furnished room with high speed internet and round the clock water supply. When I arrived at the location, it was an abandoned building,” said Deepak Singh who came to Hyderabad for work.Diwakar, another renter, said the scamsters promised a room with all amenities near Hitec City and collected Rs.10,000 in two instalments. “When I tried to contact the person, he wouldn’t answer my calls,” he said.Cyberabad economic offences wing DCP K. Prasad said that many victims were students or young people who came to Hyderabad for work.In addition to financial losses, victims also face the risk of identity theft as the fraudsters often collect personal documents such as Aadhaar card photocopies to make the deal look genuine.Police have urged people to be cautious when searching for accommodation and to verify the authenticity of listings before making any payment.
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