Rental property listing scams typically aim to steal money from interested renters. They’ll try to get you to pay for a security deposit or move-in fee without ever seeing the apartment or rental unit, and they’ll keep the money without any intention of renting a unit to you.
To avoid this from happening to you, we share warning signs to watch out for, ways to prevent being scammed, and what to do if you’re a victim of a fraudulent listing.
These are seven rental scam warning signs every renter should look out for as they search for a place to rent.
It’s never a good sign if the person who posted a rental listing says that they are not able to meet you in person. Even if you’re not able to meet in person, you should always be able request a real-time video walkthrough of the rental so you know that the property exists.
A good landlord will make sure that they can meet you either digitally or in person so that they can feel comfortable with trusting you as a renter. Plus, a landlord should want to meet you in person to make sure you’re legitimate, as well. On the flip side, scammers typically don’t want to meet you, since they don’t want you to be able to report them.
Even if you meet someone in person who claims to be the landlord, you should always see the property before signing a lease or sending any money. It’s easy for someone to say they have a property and fake an online listing, so it’s best to see the property in person and make sure the place is available.
In most rental scams, the individual advertising the property doesn’t actually have any way to access the inside of the property. If a landlord instructs you to inspect the property by walking around the outside at your convenience, this is almost certainly a scam.
If you are in the unfortunate position of needing a place immediately, be extra careful. Properties that are available right away can be scams or the sign of a disorganized landlord.
An apparent sign that the apartment you’re looking at is a scam is if the property manager, landlord, or real estate agent asks for rent or a security deposit before signing a lease.
As a potential renter, you should never be asked to give a large sum of money before seeing and having all parties sign a lease. Application fees, which are used to cover the costs of background checks, are an acceptable fee to pay before signing a lease. The first month’s rent or a security deposit, however, is not.
You should never mail or wire money to anyone if you have not signed a lease. In some cases, a scammer will tell you they live overseas and need you to forward the money to them in return for the keys. In an even more dangerous scenario, you might be asked to wire money to someone who you have only talked to online. Remember that anyone who doesn’t live near the rental itself should have someone, such as a property manager or realtor, who lives in the area and can handle these logistics.
In cases like these, you should report the listing as fraudulent and cease all communications.
Whenever you see a price that looks too good to be true, it probably is. A property that is priced well below the going market rate in your area should be an immediate red flag.
Properties like these can be a “bait and switch” situation, where the owner is using a low rent price to lure in potential renters before suddenly taking the listing off the market and replacing it with a similar, more costly unit. The incentive to act fast before it’s gone can cause renters to sign a lease quickly, despite the change in price.
So how can you determine if a unit is at fair market value and not a scam? You should always do your own research on rent prices for units of comparable location, size, and amenities to get a good idea of what rentals in a certain area are being rented for.
While an asking rent amount below market is a sign of potential fraud, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the listing is definitely fraudulent. Keep in mind that the property owner may not know the fair market rent rate, they might be renting the unit outside of the peak moving seasons, or the unit is flawed in some way (near a noisy highway, for example).
Beware of rental listings that are full of errors. Serious landlords or property managers will take the time to write a decent listing and proofread it, too. If you come across a rental listing that is full of typos, has poor grammar, and contains excessive punctuation or capitalization, it was likely created by a scammer.
As a tenant, you’ll want to rent from a high-quality, responsive landlord who does things the “right” way. Professional landlords almost always have a set tenant screening process that they follow to ensure they choose tenants who are going to be able to pay rent and take care of their property.
If a landlord does not require a rental application and credit check, you should consider this a red flag. The landlord is either unconcerned about picking a good tenant because it’s a scam, or unconcerned because they are inexperienced. In both scenarios, you should be a bit suspicious.
One reason why every renter needs to read through a new lease is to see if it’s complete or not. A landlord or property manager that asks you to sign an incomplete lease does not have your best interest in mind, because they can change the lease whenever (and however) they want without letting you know.
By going through your lease to make sure there are no blank spaces, vague writing, or incomplete sentences, you’re making sure that you will not be harmed by a manipulated lease in the future.
Before you move forward with any rental property, make sure you:
If you are the victim of a rental scam, make sure you:
The best way to avoid a scam is to use trusted rental apps, see the apartment in person and meet the landlord before you move forward with any part of the application process. Plus, it’s an important step in your search for an apartment.
Once you’re ready to begin your apartment search, visit Realtor.com® to find available rentals near you. Filter listings by beds, baths, if pets are allowed, if they’re still accepting rental applications, and more.
