Someone wants to rent my spare room and pay months up front from abroad. Is it a scam?
Very likely, yes. The tenant from abroad sends more than agreed, by cheque or a transfer that later bounces, and asks you to forward the difference to a shipping agent or driver. The forwarded money is real; the payment was not.
The tenant is a student, a nurse or an engineer arriving soon, very polite, happy to pay without viewing. Real tenants want to see the room, and nobody sends thousands to a stranger for a room they have not seen.
What to do
- Do not accept more than the agreed amount, and never forward money to a third party.
- Do not accept cheques or foreign transfers you cannot confirm as cleared with your bank.
- Insist on a viewing, even by a friend or relative of the tenant in South Africa.
- Check the email address and number of the "tenant".
- If a transfer has arrived, wait until your bank confirms it is final before you spend or refund anything.
Frequently asked questions
- The money shows in my account. Is it safe to refund the extra?
- No. Ask your bank whether the payment can still be reversed. Overpayment scams rely on you refunding before the reversal.
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