Watch out for more fake ads on the Internet

False real estate ads are multiplying on the Internet. In 2018, 7,000 alerts were received on Pharos, the platform for reporting illegal content on the Internet and managed by the police, reports The Parisian this Wednesday. The same goes for the Info Scroqueries call center: since early 2019, it has handled more than 600 calls related to false leases.

This figure represents about 30% more complaints than last year. As all cases are not systematically reported, the number of scams is probably much larger, indicates the daily Ile-de-France.

Algorithms do not stop the scam

On the PAP site (from individual to individual), one out of four offers is suspected of fraud and therefore suppressed, said its president, Corinne Jolly. The site uses an algorithm that can detect suspicious ads from abroad. The BonCoin also has a tracking system, which tracks criminal ads. Computer tools that are not enough, however.

The most classic scam is to offer a nice apartment for rent and ask for money from people interested, via payment platforms, to book. Others use copy-and-paste real rental offers and hack the owners' mailbox. Another type of scam is to ask for the necessary documents to establish a lease. The usurper can therefore open a consumer credit account and recover money.