The ad seemed too good to be true: a modern apartment, located in a central area of Guadalajara, at half the market price. But it was a scam. A wire transfer promises the rental, but after sending the money, the developer disappears.
Stories like this are common in Jalisco, particularly in municipalities like Guadalajara, Zapopan, and Tlaquepaque, where the high demand for rental properties contrasts with the shortage of affordable housing.
This is an increasingly common scam that affects young people and older adults, who, in their need to move, end up falling victim to scams through social media, where the properties are advertised, or even through targeted phone calls.
The entity collects more than 5.6 kWh per square meter per day.
The modus operandi is usually the same: advertising houses or apartments in high-demand areas at low prices to attract people in urgent need of housing.
Once the victims show interest, the fraudster claims they can’t show the property immediately because they’ve had an accident, are out of town, or there are a lot of people interested, and pressures them to put down a deposit as a “deposit.”
After the deposit, they no longer respond.
The high demand for rental properties and the high costs in the city create the perfect scenario for this type of fraud, with people desperate to find a house or apartment at an affordable price and in a location that suits their needs.
Access to housing in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (ZMG) has become considerably more difficult for the majority of the population.
Since 2005, housing prices in the region have increased by 273 percent—that is, 58 percent above inflation—while real wages have decreased by 37 percent, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) and the Federal Mortgage Society (SHF).
This phenomenon has limited access to housing for large segments of the population, especially young people and informal workers, who face greater obstacles to covering the cost of a decent home with their income.
Furthermore, having the money to rent a property in the state is not enough. Most of the time, owners or real estate agents require excessive deposits and collateral with unencumbered property in the ZMG, a condition that not everyone can meet.
Therefore, a low-priced, well-located home with few requirements becomes the perfect hook to attract victims.
This is not an isolated case. “In 2024, we handled approximately 450 cases of fraud involving rental or sale of real estate in our firm alone, and we know we are not the only one in Guadalajara. It is a widespread phenomenon,” says attorney David Solano González, a member of the College of Lawyers for Excellence.
Scammers operate primarily on social media, where they advertise properties in high-demand areas at remarkably low prices.
The scam takes shape when they request advance deposits to reserve the property, only to then disappear without a trace.
“The most common modus operandi is on Facebook Marketplace, where they post affordable properties, ask for a deposit, and then never respond. Many don’t report them because the legal costs are sometimes higher than what they lost,” explains Solano.
Although high-impact fraud cases have also been documented, where victims pay millions of dollars for houses that don’t even legally exist, the majority of complaints relate to lower rents. The emotional and financial impact is equally severe.
“Sometimes these are retired people. They are contacted directly, which makes us think there’s a leak of sensitive data. They are offered attractive properties, and out of ignorance, they fall for them,” warns the lawyer.
The High Cost of Reporting
The legal process for reporting and tracking down those responsible is long and expensive.
According to the lawyer, cases are referred to the State Attorney General’s Office through the Property Crimes Unit, with support from the Cyber Police. But in practice, there are more obstacles than results.
“Many criminals use VPNs, fake identities, and borrowed bank accounts. Sometimes they’re not even in Jalisco. Tracking them down is extremely complex. You have to prove the fraud, obtain a court order, and request information from the banks, but if there’s no real information about the scammer, it becomes even more complicated,” explains Solano.
To file a complaint, the victim must gather all possible evidence: screenshots of the advertisement, deposit slips, conversations with the supposed landlord, and the location of the property, even if it’s fake.
Although the crime is legally defined as “fraud,” the percentage of successful cases is very low.
Of the fraudulent sales cases handled by the firm in 2024, only about 50 were resolved favorably, he acknowledges.
“That’s not even 50 percent. I’m not a lawyer who tells clients what they want to hear. I tell them the truth: litigating is often more expensive than what they lost. That’s why we ask them to seek advice before signing or depositing a deposit.”
A legal consultation can cost between 500 and 1,000 pesos. For the lawyer, it’s a minimal investment that can prevent a much larger loss. “Sometimes, by saving a little, they end up losing everything. It’s always best to consult a lawyer in the field, just as you would a medical specialist.”
“I just wanted a house to live in with my children.”
Alejandra is a single mother of three children. She was desperately looking for a place to live with them. Her financial situation was difficult, and she relied on Facebook groups advertising houses for rent and sale, hoping to find an affordable option for less than 3,500 pesos a month. There, she became one of the many victims of fraud.
“What happened was that I said I was looking for a house, and the girl contacted me privately saying she had a house,” she said, clearly frustrated by what had happened.
The woman who contacted her was empathetic to her situation from the start, telling her the property was listed at 4,000 pesos a month, but that she could negotiate with her relative to lower the price.
Trusting her good faith, she explained that she was a single, working mother looking for a decent home for her children. “I told her not to worry, that I was trustworthy.” The alleged landlord convinced her to put down a 1,000-peso deposit to reserve the property. “She charged me 4,000, and I deposited 1,000.” The fear of losing the opportunity to rent the house was greater than that of becoming a victim of fraud.
After the payment, they agreed to meet at a home to see the property. She arrived at the address, but found a surprise: it was occupied. She tried to contact the woman to whom she made the deposit, but never heard from her again.
“The name she gave me for the deposit and the name she has on Facebook are not the same. Of the two contacts I sent messages to, neither answered me either, and no, she didn’t say anything to me. She just said she would arrive in ten minutes, and she never arrived.”
Today, Alejandra not only faces the anguish of continuing to search for a home for her children, but also the frustration of having trusted someone who took advantage of her need.
“I just wanted a house to live with my children. I thought I’d found an opportunity, and they scammed me,” she says with resignation.
Her story, like that of many other victims, is a wake-up call for those searching for housing online.
They steal money and even identity.
The National Commission for the Protection and Defense of Financial Services Users (Condusef) has issued several alerts about this type of fraud, which has become widespread on social media.
In some cases, they even request a copy of the National Statistics Institute (INE) (National Institute of Statistics) under the guise of initiating the leasing process. After receiving the money, they block the victim on social media and disappear with the money and personal information.
He warns that providing official documents or making transfers without guarantees can expose people not only to financial fraud, but also to other crimes such as identity theft. He also asks the public to be wary of offers with prices well below average in high-demand urban areas, as they are usually scams.
The representative of the Bar Association for Excellence urges people to be wary of rents with excessively low prices, not to hand over money without physically seeing the property, to ask the offeror for documents proving ownership, to check with the Public Registry if the person is the owner of the property, to keep evidence of the conversations, and to seek legal advice before signing a contract.
False rent fraud not only leaves victims without their money: it also leaves an emotional mark and a deep distrust in the system.
Source: milenio
