What We Do

At JumpOffCampus, we take steps to keep fake listings and scams off our platform. When a landlord posts a rental listing, we perform a basic screening to establish that there's a legitimate relationship between the person posting and the property being advertised.

Our Screening Includes:

  • Public database checks: We attempt to match the landlord's name to the property in public records
  • Documentation requests: If we can't verify through public databases, we ask the poster for documentation proving they're authorized to list the property
  • Account blocking: If someone doesn't respond to our verification requests or shows signs of being fraudulent, we block their account and prevent their listings from appearing on the site

What the Status Badges Mean:

"Screening Complete" (green check): We've done our basic research and found signs that the person posting is likely authorized to rent out this property. They may be an owner, property manager, realtor, or authorized tenant. We believe it's more likely than not that this listing is legitimate.

"Screening in Progress" (yellow clock): We haven't finished our review yet. This is normal and usually takes just a few days. You can still contact the poster if you're interested, but exercise extra caution.

What We Don't Do

Our screening process is not a comprehensive verification or endorsement. Here's what we don't check:

❌ Property condition: We don't inspect properties or verify they match the description
❌ Landlord quality: We don't evaluate whether the landlord is responsive, fair, or good to rent from
❌ Legal compliance: We don't verify the rental meets building codes, housing laws, or other regulations
❌ Price accuracy: We don't confirm whether the rent is fair or matches market rates
❌ Lease terms: We don't review or approve the terms of any rental agreements
❌ Background checks: We don't run credit checks, criminal background checks, or detailed investigations

Your Responsibility

Our screening is just the first filter. Even if a listing shows "Screening Complete," you must still:

✅ View the property in person before sending any money
✅ Verify the identity of the person you're dealing with
✅ Research the property address independently
✅ Read all lease documents carefully
✅ Never wire money or send payment before meeting in person
✅ Trust your instincts — if something feels off, walk away

Why We Do This

Our goal is to make JumpOffCampus a higher-trust environment than Craigslist or unmoderated platforms. By screening out the obvious fakes and scams, we create a safer starting point for your housing search. But we're not doing the final verification — that's on you.

Think of our screening like a spam filter for your email. It catches the obvious junk, but you still need to think carefully before clicking links or sharing information in the messages that get through.

Questions?

If you encounter a listing that seems suspicious even after screening is complete, please report it to us immediately at help@jumpoffcampus.com. We take all reports seriously and will investigate.