upfront on Birmingham Dailyhttps://birminghamdaily.co.uk/tags/upfront/Recent content in upfront on Birmingham DailyHugo -- gohugo.ioen-usMon, 25 May 2026 04:59:00 +0000Renters Targeted by Rental Scams: Upfront Fees Paid for Non-Existent Homeshttps://birminghamdaily.co.uk/renters-targeted-by-rental-scams-upfront-fees-paid-for-non-existent-homes/Mon, 25 May 2026 04:59:00 +0000https://birminghamdaily.co.uk/renters-targeted-by-rental-scams-upfront-fees-paid-for-non-existent-homes/Renters are being warned about a growing rental fraud in which scammers demand upfront fees for properties that either don’t exist or have already been let. West Mercia Police have highlighted that this deception is particularly common among new and returning university students urgently seeking accommodation. The force’s economic crime unit explained, “Rental fraud occurs when prospective tenants are tricked into paying fees to rent a property that either does not exist, has already been leased, or has been rented out simultaneously to multiple victims.