Beware of Housing Scam: Fake Websites & Social Media Posts

The DC Housing Authority is warning District residents about an online scam in which an entity is claiming to administer the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP).

The fraudsters are circulating paper flyers and social media posts with a fake website that aims to steal personal information or money from applicants to HCVP, sometimes referred to as Section 8.

DCHA and other legitimate housing authorities do NOT charge fees to join a waiting list. In addition, our HCVP waiting list is closed. Those interested in DCHA waiting lists should verify their status by going directly to our website.

The scam claims to accept applications for HCVP and/or offer assistance to applicants, and it is periodically shared in posts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms. The social media posts and paper flyers include a hyperlink to a fraudulent website. The deceptive websites often look like registration sites for voucher waiting list lotteries and the websites’ hyperlinks often mirror those of legitimate agencies. Examples of the deceptive hyperlinks include gosection8[dot]us, affordablehousing[dot]us and govassistance[dot]org.

To ensure the security of your personal information:

• Follow DCHA’s official channels for updates and resources. Our official channels include this website and our Facebook page found at https://www.facebook.com/dchousing/.
• Remember – do not click on a hyperlink if you are unsure if it is legitimate. Instead, go to a known, trusted source such as www.hud.gov to check if a program is real.
• Be cautious of any hyperlinks ending in “.us.”

If you ever fall victim to an online scam, file a complaint at the Internet Crime Compliant Center (IC3) at https://www.ic3.gov/.

Find more information on Section 8 scams at https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2015/06/section-8-scammers-cheat-people-seeking-housing.

This video from AffordableHousing.com also offers tips to help avoid housing scams. Watch it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgPJ_yUwqnE