The Better Business Bureau is warning college students to be extra careful this school year when hunting for the perfect off-campus apartment.

If your dream rental seems way too good to be true, it probably is.

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Listen, I've been there.  I was young, naive, and wanted the coolest apartment out there.  I would've paid absurbs amount of money to get the best place, even if that meant emptying my bank account for it.  I learned pretty fast that not every listing you see online is legitimate.

The BBB is now warning that dozens of students got burned by rental scams last year, and you could be next if you're not careful.

Illinois Students Returning to Campus: Beware of Fake Rental Listings

One of the most common tricks scammers use is stealing photos from real apartment listings to make their posts look real.  They do a really good job of it, too!  Once they post their fake listings, they ask for your deposit ahead of time, along with first and last month's rent.  Then, they disappear with your money and the house listing vanishes.

Here's how the BBB suggests you protect yourself:

• Reverse Google image search the listing photos
• Look up the landlord or leasing agent
• Don't sign anything, wire money, or hand over cash until you've toured the place
• If the landlord is pushy, that's a huge red flag
• Do a search online to see who owns the property and if it's actually for rent

Read More: Fake Norton Emails Trick Illinois Residents

It's not only rental scams you need to watch out for!  There are so many back-to-school scams targeting students.  If you take a few minutes to do your research, it'll save you a whole lot of time and money in the long run.  College students are already broke, don't put yourself in a deeper financial hole.