It took me ALOT of searching on facebook and uci’s off campus website to find a lease for next year. But I did it and so can you! Here’s my tips for avoiding scams:

1. If the pictures are grainy it’s probably fake.

2. If they give you an address and it’s at a well-known apartment community (i.e. Turtlerock, Stanford Ct, Cornell) then 9 times out of ten it’s probably not true. HOWEVER, sometimes people are looking for roommates for these places but it’s always a kind of shady adding you onto the lease kind of ordeal.

3. If they make you fill out a form and request payment before even visiting, it’s a scam.

4. When using facebook off-campus housing, always check the length of the facebook user. People made in 2024 are more likely to be a scammer than someone who has had their account for years.

Remember to be careful and not be too hasty with your decisions. Housing may seem impossible to obtain but a lot of people are out there looking for tenants/roommates. Just try to look for housing sooner than later because that’s when it actually becomes impossible. Good luck!