Tashkent police caution students about fake rental schemes

The Tashkent City Department of Internal Affairs has issued an important warning to students and their parents, urging them not to fall victim to so-called “tenant” fraudsters.

It was reported that, on the eve of the academic year, incidents of deception involving students and their families arriving in Tashkent from different regions of the country have grown. Such schemes are mainly carried out through online advertisements offering low-cost apartments for rent.

“Fraudsters post photos of apartments that do not belong to them online, offering them for rent at a cheap price. Seeing such offers, students and their parents reach out in hopes of securing a place. The fraudsters then demand advance payment – either a reservation fee or two months’ rent – claiming it is necessary to hold the apartment. Unfortunately, once the payment is made, they cut off contact and block the victims on social media. As a result, people are left without both the apartment and their money,” the warning stated.

The department has issued several recommendations to avoid falling into such traps. In particular, it advised never to make advance payments without first seeing the apartment in person, to sign any rental agreement only after meeting with the property owner and inspecting the place, and not to share personal information with strangers until their credibility is verified.