Rental-Listing Scams: How Fake Ads Trick Tenants Into Paying for Homes They Can’t Rent
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Rental-Listing Scams: How Fake Ads Trick Tenants Into Paying for Homes They Can’t Rent

Scammers copy listings, pressure you to wire deposits, then vanish, here’s how to spot the ruse

August 1, 2025

Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and even reputable sites like Zillow routinely host bogus “For Rent” posts. Con artists clone photos from real listings, or break into vacant houses—and dangle rents far below market. Their goal: collect an application fee, deposit or first month’s rent before you discover the place was never theirs to lease.

How the Scam Plays Out

  • Hijacked ad. Crook copies a legitimate sale or rental listing, swaps the contact email/phone, reposts at a rock-bottom price, and fields all inquiries.
  • Phantom property. Photos pulled from Airbnb or MLS show a home that’s already occupied, or thousands of miles away.
  • On-site impostor. Scammer slips into a vacant or foreclosed house, gives tours, collects cash from multiple “tenants,” then disappears.

Red Flags to Watch For

  • Rent well below neighborhood market rates.
  • Owner “overseas,” “on deployment,” or “doing mission work”, can’t meet in person.
  • Request for deposit or application fee before you tour.
  • Payment demanded by wire, Zelle®, Cash App, or gift cards. (Legitimate landlords accept checks or secure portals.)
  • Pressure tactics: “First come, first served,” “Other applicants waiting,” “Send funds today.”

Verify Before You Pay

  • Search the address in quotes. Duplicate posts with different rents or “For Sale” listings signal a hijack.
  • Check county tax records to confirm the recorded owner; insist on meeting that person or their licensed property manager.
  • Drive by: A broker lockbox or “For Sale” sign usually means the home isn’t for rent.
  • Use your state’s real-estate commission website to validate any agent’s license.
  • Pay deposits only after signing a lease with the legal owner’s name, and by traceable method (check, bank bill-pay).

If You Suspect a Scam

  • Stop communication and keep your money.
  • Gather screenshots, emails, phone numbers; file a complaint with local police and your state attorney general.
  • Report the bogus post to the platform so it’s removed before others are duped.

A little research, verifying ownership records, insisting on in-person showings, and refusing to wire money—can prevent an expensive rental nightmare.