CORTLAND, NY (607NewsNow) – Another rental scam in the Crown City.

The Cortland Police Department says the community is being targeted by scammers using real addresses and convincing stories.

Cortland PD is urging people apartment hunting online to verify the listing before committing to any agreement, and to be skeptical if you’re pressured to act quickly or wire money.

Authorities say red flags include a landlord who won’t meet in person, a deal that’s too good to be true, being asked to pay before a showing, and payments requested using gift cards, crypto, or peer-to-peer cash apps like CHIME.

If you suspect you’ve been targeted for a scam, report it to Cortland Police immediately at (607) 753-3001.

A similar scam was reported in Cortland over the summer.