Rental Scams
Protect yourself from fake property listings and rental deposit scams when looking for housing.
What is Rental?
Rental scams target people searching for housing by creating fake listings on legitimate platforms like Craigslist, Zillow, or Facebook Marketplace. Scammers steal photos from real listings and re-post them at below-market prices to attract victims, then collect deposits or first month's rent before disappearing.
In competitive housing markets, the urgency to secure a good deal makes people especially vulnerable. Scammers exploit this by pressuring victims to pay quickly "before someone else takes it." They may impersonate real landlords or property management companies.
Some sophisticated rental scams involve scammers who have access to vacant properties (through listing services or even lockbox codes) and conduct in-person showings, making the scam nearly undetectable until move-in day.
How to Identify This Scam
- 1Rent is significantly below market rate for the area
- 2Landlord is "out of town" and can't show the property in person
- 3Request for deposit or rent before signing a lease
- 4Pressure to act quickly and pay immediately
- 5Communication only via email or messaging — no phone calls
- 6Photos look professional but the listing details are vague
Real Examples (Anonymized)
A Craigslist listing offers a 2-bedroom apartment for $800/month in an area where similar units rent for $1,500. The "landlord" says they're working overseas and asks for a $1,600 security deposit via wire transfer.
A property management company emails you about a unit you inquired about. They ask you to fill out an application with your SSN and pay a $50 application fee. The website looks legitimate but was created last month.
What to Do If You Receive One
- Always visit the property in person before paying anything
- Verify property ownership through public records
- Never wire money or pay via gift cards for a rental
- Search the listing photos using reverse image search
- Meet the landlord or their verified representative in person