Real Estate THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2020 FROM COAST TO
COUNTRY
WWW.TWEEDVALLEYWEEKLY.NET.AU
Beware of rental scams online Relief for builders By Jonathon Howard
RESIDENTS LOOKING to enter the Tweed Shire rental market are being warned of a fresh round of rental and accommodation scams online, with more than $300,000 lost already. It’s an increase of 76 per cent when compared to the same time last year, as renters attempt to secure properties by responding to fake advertisements posted on real estate or classified websites. The scams target people seeking new rental accommodation by offering fake rental properties to convince people into handing over money or personal information. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch service has already received 560 reports of rental scams so far this year, an increase of 56 per cent, with many using tactics related to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Scammers are offering reduced rents due to COVID-19 and using the government restrictions to trick people into transferring money without inspecting the property,” ACCC Deputy Commissioner Delia Rickard said. “The scammer will post advertisements on real estate or
classified websites, or target people who have posted on social media that they are looking for a room. “After the victim responds, the scammer will request an upfront deposit to secure the property or phish for personal information through a ‘tenant application form’, promising to provide the keys after the payment or information is provided.” The ACCC says the scammer may come up with excuses for further payments and the victim often only realises they have been scammed when the keys don’t arrive and the scammer cuts off contact, with some scammers even impersonating real estate agents and organising fake inspections Victims will then arrive to discover the property doesn’t exist or is currently occupied. “The loss of personal information through rental scams is becoming more common, with scammers requesting copies of identity documents such as passports, bank statements or payslips,” Mr Rickard said. “Once a scammer has your personal information you are at risk of being targeted by further scams or identity theft.
Open homes Thursday, September 24 DJ Stringer 14/21 Dixon Street, Coolangatta, 4.30pm-5pm
Friday, September 25 TW Realty 1/33 Tombonda, Road, 4pm-4.30pm
Saturday, September 26 DJ Stringer 2021 Tweed Ultima, Tweed Heads, 9am-9:30am
“Many people are also experiencing financial difficulties due to the pandemic and the financial impact of falling victim to a scam can be devastating.” Scamwatch says that people aged 25 to 34 reported the most rental scams so far in 2020, and the most reports came from NSW, Victoria and the ACT. A common rental scam operating in Canberra involves a scammer impersonating a doctor living in Sweden who only offers virtual inspections and then requests bond money. The ACCC is advising renters to view a property in person before paying any money. “Try to view a property in person before paying any bond or rent money to landlords or real estate agents,” Mr Rickard said. “In areas of Victoria under COVID-19 level 4 restrictions this is not possible, but you can help protect yourself by doing an online search to confirm the property exists and, if dealing with an agent, checking that the agent you are dealing with is licenced.” “Scammers often rely on email communications to avoid identification, do an independent search for a phone number and speak to the property manager.”
2135 Tweed Ultima, Tweed Heads, 9:30am-10am 175 Tweed Valley Way, Murwillumbah, 10:15am-11am 4/27-29 Dutton Street, Coolangatta, 10:30am-11am 20/24 Seaview Road, Banora Point, 11am-11.30am 2/9 Honeysuckle Court Tweed Heads West, 11:30am-12pm 501/46 Pacific Parade, Bilinga, 11:45am-12:15pm 73 The Quarterdeck, Tweed Heads, 12:30pm-1pm 704/53 Bay Street at Seascape, Tweed Heads, 1:30pm-2pm
10 McPherson Court, Murwillumbah, 10am-10.30am 1 Point Lookout Chase, Murwillumbah, 11am-11.30am 1 Hunter Street, Burringbar, 11am-11.30am 2 Namoi Glen, Ocean Shores, 11am-12.00pm 61 Hunter Street, Burringbar, 12.30pm-1pm 28 Larelar Court, Ocean Shores, 12.30pm-1pm 23 River Street, South Murwillumbah, 1.30pm-2pm
Raine & Horne Ocean Shores/Brunswick Heads/ Murwillumbah 9 Banool Circuit, Ocean Shores, 9am-9.30am 38 William Street, Murwillumbah, 9am-9.30am 72/73-101 Darlington Drive, Banora Point, 9.30am-10am 1/4 Roundhouse Place, Ocean Shores, 10am-10.30am
HOUSING INDUSTRY Australia (HIA) has joined with hundreds of Northern Rivers builders and tradies working either side of the NSW and Queensland border to breathe a sigh of relief, as border restrictions are set to ease as of Thursday, October 1. The relief comes as the Queensland Premier recently announced she will start relaxing border restrictions in an effort to assist workers unduly impacted by the border bubble, to get back to work and deliver the new homes and renovations critical to both states’ economies. “When border closures started at 1am on 8 August there was little notice provided to builders and tradespeople,” HIA executive director Toni Bull said. “The housing industry was given no time to prepare properly for what was a major logistical blow to normal business movements. “There was a clear underestimation of how mobile the home building industry is and how many businesses would be impacted. “The Queensland Government’s announcement, that they will open the borders to the areas of NSW bordering on Queensland is welcomed by HIA, as the burden the closures were having on our members and their customers was becoming unbearable.” Ms Bull said the “complicated and inconsistent rules” that previously governed who could work over the NSWQld border was “untenable and needed to be sorted or done away with”. “There was also difficulty in moving building materials and supplies, on top of the movement of labour, forcing some projects to come to a halt, meaning staff were facing the threat of being laid off, thankfully mass layoffs may be averted due to this announcement,” she said. “With the Gold Coast region in particular feeling the pain of losing jobs in tourism, ensuring home building can continue in a sensible and managed way will help to ensure critical jobs and economic activity for the region.”
120 Balemo Drive, Ocean Shores, 2pm-2.30pm Tweed Coolangatta Real Estate 41 Tralee Drive Banora Point, 11am-11.30am 183 Botanical Circuit, Banora Point, 12pm-12.30pm TW Realty 1/33 Tombonda, Road, Murwillumbah, 10pm-10.45pm
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