Who: The FTC collects reports of rental and housing scams.
When to use: Use when you paid for a rental that did not exist or was misrepresented.
What to prepare:
- Listing or contact
- Amount paid
- Address if any
Go to FTC ReportFraud~5 min
Category: Housing & rental
Rental & housing scams
Important
Do not pay rent or a deposit before you have seen the property in person (or via a verified video tour) and signed a real lease with a verified owner or manager.
How it often plays out
Omar finds a great apartment on a listing site, contacts the “owner” by email, and sends first month’s rent and a deposit via wire. When he shows up to get the keys, the real owner has never heard of him—the listing used stolen photos and a fake contact. The scammer keeps the money and disappears. Rental scams often use real listings and stolen photos; the "owner" is someone far away who will never meet you in person. Never pay before you have seen the property and signed a real lease with a verified owner or manager.
By the numbers
- Rental scams often use stolen photos from real listings; the "landlord" is someone you will never meet.
- Wire transfers and cash are common in rental scams—once sent, the money is hard to recover.
How to spot it
Common red flags: pressure to act immediately, requests for payment by gift card or wire, offers that seem too good to be true, or unsolicited requests for your personal or financial details.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- See the property in person (or via a verified video) and sign a real lease before paying.
- Verify the owner or property manager through county records or the building management.
- Report to the FTC and your local police or housing authority.
Don't
- Pay before you have seen the property and have a real lease.
- Wire rent or deposit to someone you have not met or verified.
- Trust listings that only exist online with no way to verify the owner.
Summary & what to do
Fake rental listings ask for a deposit or rent before you see the property or sign a lease. The "landlord" may be impersonating a real owner. Report to the FTC and local authorities.
What to do right now
- Do not pay before you have seen the property in person (or via a verified video) and have a real lease.
- Verify the owner or property manager through county records or the building management.
- Report to the FTC and your local police or housing authority.
Where to report
Who: The FBI's IC3 handles rental fraud conducted online.
When to use: Use when the scam was run online and you lost money.
What to prepare:
- Website or email
- Amount lost
Go to IC3~10 min
Frequently asked questions
- The landlord says they are out of town. Can I still rent?
- Be very careful. Verify the owner through county property records or the building management. Do not wire money before you have seen the property and have a signed lease. Many scams use the "owner is away" story.
- I already sent money for a rental that turned out to be fake. What do I do?
- Report to the FTC and IC3 with the listing, contact details, and amount paid. Contact your bank if you wired money—they may be able to help. File a report with local police if you have an address.