How to Spot a Rental Listing Scam Before You Pay

Searching for an apartment in a tight market can make anyone eager to lock in a good deal, and scammers count on that urgency. A December 2025 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Data Spotlight found that people filed nearly 65,000 reports of rental scams from January 2020 through June 2025, with about $65 million in reported losses and a median loss of $1,000. Because most fraud goes unreported, the real numbers are likely higher.

Where rental scams start

According to the FTC, about half of people who reported a rental scam between July 2024 and June 2025 said it started with a fake ad on Facebook, and another 16% said it began with a fake Craigslist listing. Younger renters were hit hardest: the FTC found people in their 20s reported losing money to rental scams at roughly triple the rate of older adults, and the agency noted that some were targeted in Facebook groups students use to find sublets near campus.

Common scam tactics

The FTC describes several patterns:

• Hijacked or fake listings. Scammers copy photos and details from real listings, or invent properties, then post them at attractive prices.
• Money before a tour. They ask for an application fee, deposit or first month's rent before you have seen the unit in person.
• Fake credit checks. They push you to "prove" your credit by following a link to a credit report site, which may sign you up for a paid membership with recurring fees.
• Identity theft. They collect Social Security numbers, driver's licenses or pay stubs.
• Self-guided tours. Some use access codes and lockboxes to make a fake listing seem legitimate.

Red flags

• Payment by wire transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency. The FTC says that anyone who insists on these methods is running a scam. These payments are very hard to reverse.
• Rent far below the local market. A deal that seems too good to be true often is.
• Pressure to decide immediately. The FTC's advice is to walk away from anyone who pushes you to commit quickly.
• An "owner" who cannot meet you. Claims of being out of the country, on a mission trip or otherwise unavailable are common.
• Requests for sensitive data too early. Until you have agreed to rent a place, the FTC says a landlord does not need your Social Security number or credit score.

How to verify a listing

1. Search the address along with the owner's or company's name. The same property listed under different names or prices is a warning sign.
2. Check the management company's official website to confirm the unit is actually listed there, and call the office using a number you find independently.
3. Look up the owner of record in your city or county property tax or assessor database and compare it with the person you are dealing with.
4. Ask agents for credentials and confirm they work for the company they claim. Many states let you look up real estate licenses online.
5. Run a reverse image search on the listing photos to see whether they were copied from another site.
6. See the unit in person, or have someone you trust do it, before signing anything or paying.
7. Get the lease in writing and read it before paying.
8. Pay safely. Use a method you can trace and dispute, such as a credit card or a check to a verified company, and get a receipt.

If you think you have been scammed

• Contact your payment provider immediately (bank, card issuer, wire service or gift card company) and ask whether the transaction can be stopped or reversed.
• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC also suggests reporting to local police, your state attorney general and the website that hosted the ad.
• If you shared personal information, visit IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan and consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze.
• Watch for follow-up scams, such as people offering to recover your lost money for a fee.

Displaced by a fire? Be extra careful

Tenants forced out by a fire often need housing quickly, which is exactly the pressure scammers exploit. Ask your insurer, landlord or a relief agency like the Red Cross about vetted temporary housing, and apply the same checks to any short-term rental.