The Dark Side of Baguio’s Rental Market: How Scammers Prey on Desperate Renters

Baguio City, with its cool climate and vibrant academic atmosphere, has long been a magnet for students and professionals alike. The city’s prestigious institutions, such as Saint Louis University, the University of the Cordilleras, and the University of Baguio, attract thousands of students every year, all in search of quality education—and a place to stay.

However, as the school year begins, the city’s rental market reveals a darker side. With the influx of students and professionals comes an overwhelming demand for rental properties, which, unfortunately, has opened the door for a wave of rental scams that prey on the unsuspecting and desperate.

The Scarcity and the Scams

A quick search on social media reveals the scarcity of available rental properties in Baguio. Listings are few and far between, and when a legitimate property does appear, the rental price is often prohibitively high. The situation has become so dire that many turn to social media groups, posting pleas for information on available rentals, only to be met with silence or worse—deceit.

This scarcity has become fertile ground for scammers, who have devised increasingly sophisticated schemes to take advantage of desperate renters. The scam typically begins with a post on platforms like Facebook Marketplace. The listing is almost too good to be true—a room, studio, or condo unit in a prime location, just a stone’s throw from Baguio’s central business district and major universities. The photos look authentic, and the price is well below the market rate, drawing in potential renters like moths to a flame.

Once an unsuspecting renter makes contact, the scammer begins by asking for basic information, slowly building trust. But the true deception begins when the renter expresses interest in viewing the property. The scammer, in a tone of practiced reassurance, requests an advance payment—often half of the security deposit or a portion of the rent. Some also often disguise it as “reservation fee.” The payment is to be made online, via platforms like Maya or GCash, with the promise that they will hold the listing for you for an x amount of time. Unbeknownst to the person, the listing does not exist and the person you were talking to is nowhere to be found.

For many, the offer is too tempting to pass up, and in their eagerness to secure a place to stay, they overlook the warning signs. The old adage “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is” rings painfully true here.

How to Protect Yourself

While the threat of being scammed is real, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Here are five essential tips to avoid falling victim to these rental scams:

1. Research Market Prices: Familiarize yourself with the average rental prices in the area. If a deal seems significantly cheaper than the going rate, it’s a red flag.

2. Verify the Listing: Do a reverse image search on the photos provided in the listing to check if they have been used elsewhere. Google Images is a free and handy tool for reverse image search. Scammers often steal photos from legitimate listings. In case you found that the image was grabbed from an existing listing, don’t be afraid to ask the source if the person you’re talking to is affiliated with them or not. This way, you can also notify the owner in case someone is using his/her photos for deceit.

3. Insist on Viewing the Property: Never agree to send money before you’ve seen the property in person. A legitimate landlord will understand and accommodate your request. If you are not able to physically visit, find someone you trust to check the unit for you.

4. Check the Landlord’s Identity: Ask for identification and verify the landlord’s details. A quick search online or asking around in local forums can reveal if others have had dealings with the person. Don’t always fully trust the “legit checks” and fake “legit feedbacks” they post on their profiles because scammers can easily do that using dummy accounts.

NOTE: If you’re talking to someone through a Facebook Page, one thing you can also do is check the page’s history of name change. Scammers are notorious for acquiring random entertainment pages with a considerable amount of followers and change its basic information to pose as a legitimate business and use that page to deceive people.

To check a page’s history, Click on the “About” tab, choose Page Transparency then See All.

5. Use Trusted Platforms: Whenever possible, use rental platforms that offer protection or have verified listings. Social media can be a breeding ground for scams, so proceed with caution.

In a city as bustling and in-demand as Baguio, finding a place to stay can feel like a race against time. But in the rush to secure a rental, don’t let your guard down. By staying vigilant and following these tips, you can avoid becoming the next victim in this growing epidemic of rental scams.