Section 8 Rental Scams To Avoid

What do most people do when they get curious about rental assistance? They search Section 8 online.

The Internet is loaded with information on everything under the sun, and Section 8 affordable housing is no exception. Since scammers know people often search for such info, they do their best to take advantage of unsuspecting customers.

What are the biggest Section 8 rental scams you need to watch for?

Application Fee Scams

If the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) created the Section 8 program to help low-income families in need, does it make sense that they’d charge for an application? Of course not, which is why you should never pay to apply for Section 8.

Some sites will claim to hold tons of information on housing vouchers, or they’ll say you can apply through them for a program. To access these benefits, they’ll ask for money upfront and take you to a payment screen before you can see any info.

If you see such a site, don’t click the “Apply Now” button or something similar, unless you want to pay for what’s virtually worthless information.

According to HUD policy, application fees for its Housing Choice Voucher program (the new name for Section 8) are prohibited.

Data Collection Scams

Whenever you do an online search for Section 8 or Housing Choice Vouchers, you may instantly see ads on the topic. These paid ads are usually fronts for something else.

Instead of helping you apply for a housing voucher, they’ll take your information and sell it to someone else.

If a marketing company buys that information via massive lists and you’re on it, guess what? You’ll be hounded with spam offers via email, phone, or any other way they can contact you.

Can you legitimately apply online for a Housing Choice voucher? Sure, but that will only be via a Public Housing Agency (PHA) website.

If you really want to play it safe, ask them how you can fill out your application in person.

Voucher Scams

Just like you should never pay to apply for a voucher, you shouldn’t pay to get one either.

Beware of promises online that say they can accelerate your time on a voucher waiting list by paying a fee. If you pay it, not only will you still be stuck on the lengthy waiting list, but you’ll lose your money as well.

The best way to reduce your waiting time for a voucher once approved is to tell the housing agency that you’re homeless, paying over half your income in rent, or staying in substandard housing. You could also apply to more than one waiting list simultaneously.

Deposit Scams

You should never have to pay a deposit to visit a property or receive more information on it. Online classified sites are filled with such posts that require a deposit to see a property in person, know more about it, or reserve it.

Never send payment via Bitcoin, PayPal, credit card, or wire for such a service, as it’s almost 100 percent a scam. A real landlord would let you view a property or get information on it for free.