Australia has a well-documented problem with rental scams targeting international students. Most scams follow the same pattern. Here is how to recognise and avoid them.

The most common scam involves a listing posted on Facebook, Gumtree, or even Domain at a price slightly below market rate. The landlord explains they are away (often overseas or interstate) and cannot show the property in person. They ask for a deposit or first month's rent via bank transfer before providing keys. Once you pay, they stop responding.

Never pay anything before you have physically inspected the property or done a verified live video walkthrough. If a landlord refuses both options, do not proceed regardless of how reasonable the listing looks or how urgent you feel about securing housing.

Verify the listing is genuine by searching the address on Domain or Realestate.com.au. If the same property is listed at a very different price elsewhere or does not appear on any other platform, that is a red flag. You can also check the state land titles office to verify who legally owns the property.

For bond payments, the legal process in Victoria requires the bond to be lodged with RTBA (rtba.vic.gov.au). In NSW, it goes to NSW Fair Trading. Ask for the lodgement receipt after paying your bond. If the landlord cannot produce one within a few days, contact the relevant state authority.

If you are scammed, report it to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au (run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) and your local state police. While recovery of money is rarely possible, reporting helps authorities track and disrupt scam operations.