The landlord wants the deposit sent by GCash to a different name. Is that a red flag?
Yes. A real owner can receive the deposit in their own name, or can show you in writing why someone else collects it. A different name on the GCash or bank account usually means the person renting out the unit is not the owner, or is using a mule account so that nothing can be traced back.
Rental scams almost always end with a payment to a name that does not match the "owner". When you ask, there is a story: the owner is abroad, the account is maxed out, the sister handles the finances. Each one may be true once, but combined with no viewing and pressure to pay today, it is a scam.
What to do
- Ask for the owner's name on the title (TCT or CCT) and compare it with the account name.
- If an agent collects, ask for a written authorization from the owner and the agent's PRC license.
- Pay only after a viewing and a signed contract with the same name as the account.
- Search the account name and number with "scammer".
- Never send a deposit to "hold" a unit before any of this.
Frequently asked questions
- The landlord offered a discount if I pay today to the other account. Should I?
- No. A discount for paying fast to a third party is a pressure trick, not a deal.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you are talking to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email, the name and the ID, for ₱199.
Check a person