Students looking for housing for the upcoming school year are being targeted by scammers.

Posts to the MUN Off Campus Housing Sale—which is not affiliated with Memorial University—and Buyer Beware Newfoundland Facebook groups are warning students that someone is using pictures from other listings, passing it off as their own and collecting damage deposits.

The same person is also responding to several posts on Kijiji, under different names, saying they have multiple rentals available. The ads offers low rent and utilities included, a big draw for cash strapped students.

The landlord claims they work on rotation in Alberta and required a deposit through eTransfer in order to hold the house because they have received such a big response to the ad.

The scam is similar to one VOCM reported last month where a woman and her family were taken for $1,500 in the same way.

RNC warn if it seems to good to be true, it probably is. Do not to give a damage deposit without seeing the rental, meeting the renter of the property and doing your homework. They also suggest viewing the drivers licence of a landlord for good measure.