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You are new to the city. You have a job starting in two weeks. You are scrolling through listings at midnight and you find one that looks perfect.
The location is right. The price is fair. The photos look clean.
You message the number. Someone responds quickly. Very quickly. They say the room is in demand but they can hold it for you. Just a small refundable deposit to confirm your interest. ?2,000. Maybe ?5,000. Nothing big.
You pay. The number stops responding.
This is the PG visiting fee scam. It is common in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune specifically. The amounts are small enough to feel reasonable. The urgency is manufactured. The professionalism is fake.
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Here is how to tell a real listing from a scam before you pay anything.
The photos look too good
Real PGs in your price range look like real PGs. If the photos show spotless designer interiors at ?8,000 a month in Koramangala, something is wrong. Do a reverse image search on the photos. Scammers reuse images across multiple listings.
They refuse to video call
Ask for a live WhatsApp video call of the room. Right now, today. A real landlord or PG owner can do this in five minutes. A scammer cannot. If they say the network is bad, the owner is unavailable, they will send photos instead — walk away.
Any payment before a physical visit
This is the rule. No legitimate PG or flat owner asks for payment before you have physically visited and agreed to take the room. Not a booking fee. Not a visiting charge. Not a registration fee. Nothing.
If someone sends you a QR code to receive your refundable deposit — entering your UPI PIN will debit your account, not credit it. This is the most common vector for small-amount scams.
What to do instead
Use platforms that verify listings. Visit in person before paying anything. Take a trusted contact with you for the first visit if possible. Ask for the owner’s ID and property ownership proof. Check that the address on the listing matches what you are actually visiting.
The rental market in most Indian cities is tight and stressful. Scammers rely on that stress to make you act fast. Slow down. The right room will still be there tomorrow.
