This year alone, rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Canada went up almost 14 per cent on average – and many rental markets, like Calgary or Guelph, Ont. are even hotter. Experts point to those priced out of buying a home thanks to inflation, and university students finally able to resume class on campus during the pandemic. All of this creates the perfect environment for scammers to swoop in.

Globe reporter Patrick Egwu, who almost fell victim to a rental scam himself, tells us how these scams work and what to look out for when looking for a place.