How to Avoid Scams When Buying Apartments Online in Hyderabad?

When you see an apartment project online, do not depend on that one page alone. Search for the builder’s official website. See whether the project is listed there.

Many third-party pages look like official project websites. They use the builder name, project photos, logo style and enquiry forms. But they may only be lead collection pages.

That does not always mean fraud, but you should know who you are speaking to. If the page is not official, confirm the sales contact from the builder’s main website or office number.

Check the full website address carefully. A fake domain may change one letter, add words such as “official,” “booking” or “offers,” or copy the design of the builder’s site. A padlock or HTTPS symbol alone does not prove that a website is genuine.

This one step can save you from many wrong contacts.

Verify the Project and Agent on TG RERA

For an eligible under-construction apartment project in Hyderabad, RERA details are very important. The project should have a valid Telangana RERA number.

Do not just ask whether RERA is available. Ask for the number and verify it yourself. The project name, builder name, location and possession date should match.

The TG RERA portal allows buyers to search registered projects and registered real estate agents. Check the promoter’s legal name, project address, sanctioned plans, registered completion date and available project updates.

RERA registration is an important check, but it does not replace an independent title and agreement review by a property lawyer.

If the salesperson keeps delaying the RERA details or says they will be shared after payment, that is not a good sign.

A genuine registered project should not hide its basic approval details.

Check HMDA or Local Building Approval

RERA and building permission are separate checks. Ask for the HMDA, TG-bPASS or relevant local-authority approval number. Match the project name, survey number, village, permit number and sanctioned use.

For a completed apartment, ask for the Occupancy Certificate. Do not depend only on a brochure line stating that all approvals are available.

Online apartment prices are often not final. A project may show a “starting from” price, but the actual flat you like may cost much more.

The price can change based on the floor, tower, facing, view, car parking, floor rise, GST, clubhouse charges and payment plan.

This happens across Hyderabad because locations such as Kokapet, Gachibowli, Tellapur, Kollur, Narsingi, Bachupally and Miyapur have different price levels. Even two projects on the same road may not have the same rate.

So, treat the online price only as a rough idea. Ask for the latest cost sheet before taking any decision.

The cost sheet must show the project name, tower, floor, apartment number, area, base value, taxes, extra charges and total payable amount. Check whether the quoted price is refundable, negotiable or linked to a limited inventory.

Many buyers get trapped because of pressure.

You may hear lines such as:

• “Only one flat is left.”
• “Price will increase tonight.”
• “Pay the token now and check the documents later.”
• “This offer is only for today.”

Sometimes price increases are real. But no serious buyer should pay only because of fear. If the project is worth buying, it can wait until you check the papers, price and payment account. A rushed booking can become an expensive mistake.

Ask the salesperson to send the offer, validity date, refund rule and apartment details through an official company email.

This is the biggest rule.

Do not send money to a personal bank account, personal UPI ID or unknown payment link. Even if the person says it is only a small token amount, avoid it.

Apartment booking money should go only to the builder’s official account or an approved payment method. The beneficiary name must match the company or legal project entity shown in the official documents.

After payment, you should get an official receipt with your name, amount, project name and date.

If someone says the receipt will come later, do not pay.

Never share your OTP, UPI PIN, card PIN or internet-banking password. Do not install screen-sharing or remote-access applications at the request of a salesperson or agent.

Many buyers find apartments through agents. That is normal. A good agent can save time and show better options. But online, you must know who the agent is.

Ask for the company name, office address, official email ID and project authorisation details. If the person avoids basic questions, move away.

Also ask about brokerage at the beginning. Do not leave that topic until the deal stage.

Search the agent on the TG RERA portal when registration applies. Call the builder using the number on its main corporate website and ask whether that person or agency is authorised to sell the project.

A genuine agent will explain things clearly. A doubtful one will only push you to book fast.

Photos and videos can make a project look better than it is. Drone shots do not show daily traffic. Sample-flat videos do not show road conditions, nearby drains, dust, noise or travel time.

Visit the site once before paying a large booking amount.

Check the approach road, nearby shops, schools, hospitals, public transport and distance from your workplace. If you are outside Hyderabad, ask someone you trust to visit the site.

During the visit, confirm that the sales office, RERA display board, project name and location match the online listing. Scan a QR code only after checking where it leads.

Online search can shortlist the project. A site visit gives the real picture.

A cost sheet should tell you the full price, not just the base rate.

Look at the total cost after adding car parking, floor rise, clubhouse charges, GST, maintenance deposit, corpus fund and registration estimate.

Also see whether the flat number, floor, tower and size are clearly mentioned.

If the cost sheet is confusing, ask for a cleaner version. You are not buying a small item. You have the right to understand the price before paying.

Compare the cost sheet with the booking form and draft agreement. The apartment number, area, price and payment schedule should remain consistent in all three documents.

Some offers sound attractive: special discount, investor unit, management quota, last price, private deal or early-buyer price.

These words do not matter unless they are written.

If the builder or agent is giving a discount, it should be shown in the official cost sheet or email. WhatsApp messages are better than calls, but an official email or signed cost sheet is safer.

In property buying, spoken promises are weak. Written proof is what protects you.

Online resale listings need extra checking. The person posting the flat may be the owner, an agent, a relative or someone who is not properly connected to the property.

Before paying token money for a resale flat, check the owner’s name, sale deed, property tax receipt, loan status, society dues, Occupancy Certificate and Encumbrance Certificate.

Also make sure the seller has the right to sell the flat.

Ask for the original allotment or sale documents, possession letter, bank-loan closure or lender consent, association no-dues letter and identity proof. A lawyer should check the title chain before you sign or pay a major amount.

If the seller says papers will be shown only after token payment, avoid the deal.

Keep all records from the beginning. Save emails, brochures, cost sheets, payment receipts, booking forms and RERA details.

If you discuss any offer, ask the salesperson to send it in writing.

Save the website address, advertisement screenshot, contact number, bank details, UPI ID, payment link and transaction reference. These records are important if the listing later disappears.

This may feel like extra work, but it helps if there is confusion later. A clean paper trail is one of the best protections in real estate buying.

What to Do If You Have Already Paid a Scammer

Act immediately. Call your bank and ask it to flag or stop the transaction. For online financial fraud, call the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 and file a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Keep the transaction ID, UTR number, amount, date, screenshots and contact details ready.

The portal also provides a “Check Suspect” facility for identifiers such as mobile numbers, email addresses, bank accounts and UPI IDs that may have appeared in earlier complaints.

Checking Prestige Golden Grove Online

Prestige Group’s new launch in Velimela is Prestige Golden Grove.

A buyer checking Prestige Golden Grove should search TG RERA number P01100010708 and match the registered promoter, project location, plans and completion timeline. The payment account and salesperson should also be confirmed through the official Prestige channel before any booking amount is sent.

This same process should be followed for every Hyderabad apartment project, regardless of the builder’s size or brand.

To avoid scams when buying apartments online in Hyderabad, do not trust only photos, prices or phone calls. First confirm the builder, project approval, RERA number, agent details and payment account.

Pay only through the official channel. Take a receipt for every payment. Visit the site before making a major decision. Read the cost sheet and booking form properly.

Online research should help you shortlist a home, not complete an unchecked booking. Take time to verify the project, payment and legal documents. A slower verified purchase is safer than a rushed online offer.