The landlord wants to sign the contract online without a viewing. Is that safe?
No. A contract signed online for a unit you have not seen, with a person you have not met, is a piece of paper that proves nothing; if the person is not the owner, the contract is worthless and the deposit is gone. Get a viewing first, even through a relative, a friend or the building admin.
The scammer frames it as convenience: you are moving from the province, the owner is abroad, everything can be done by email. The contract looks professional. But you cannot enforce a contract against a fake name, and the real owner has never heard of you.
What to do
- Insist on a viewing, by you or by someone you trust, before signing.
- Ask the building admin to confirm the owner and the unit.
- Compare the name on the contract, the ID and the title.
- Never pay the deposit before you have seen the unit and the keys exist.
- If a scanned ID was sent, be aware that it can be stolen or edited; Veritaza can check it for signs of tampering, but never says an ID is genuine.
Frequently asked questions
- The landlord offered a video call tour instead. Enough?
- Better than nothing, but a video call can be done from any unit the scammer has access to. A viewing by someone you trust is the standard.
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.
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