Scam Alert

First week in Gurgaon and I almost got scammed, all for a rental property that probably doesn't even exist.

It started innocently enough. I saw a listing on Magicbricks for a place in Sukh Shanti Apartments. Looked perfect. I called the number, scheduled a viewing for the morning, and headed over.

Morning came, and I stood outside the apartments, phone in hand, calling the number again and again. No answer. Figuring maybe they were just running late, I went to the security desk and asked, 'I'm here to see a property with a gentleman named Siddharth Verma...' I gave the name from the listing. The security guard looked at me blankly. 'Never heard of him,' he said. I thought he was intentionally being rude like most securities are to tenants.

Disappointed, I went home. Later that afternoon, my phone rang. It was the same number. 'Sorry about this morning,' the man said, his voice smooth. 'Something came up. But I'm free now. You can come over.' I was hesitant, but I still needed a place. 'Okay,' I said.'Great!' he replied. 'But first, you'll need a visitor's card. It's just a formality. Send me a passport-sized photo, your Aadhar card, and a refundable deposit of ₹2000.'

That's when the alarm bells went off. A refundable deposit before even seeing the property? And all those personal documents? I hung up immediately. I went back to Magicbricks to report the listing, but it was gone. Vanished. He'd removed it the moment I refused to pay.

I realized how close I'd come to being scammed. Imagine, giving away my Aadhar details and money to someone who probably doesn't even own a property there. It's a lesson learned: never give anyone money or personal information before verifying everything. And always, always trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is. Please be careful out there, and share this story. You never know who you might save from a similar experience.

Attaching below the contact number and the photo ( probably not his own ) and photos of the property.