Rental scams are becoming more common, especially during the busy summer leasing season, as scammers use fake listings, stolen identities and AI-generated content to target renters.
Red flags like unusually low prices, pressure to pay before a viewing, and requests for gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers could signal a rental scam.
Experts recommend slowing down, verifying listings independently, and never sharing money or personal information until you’ve confirmed a property and landlord are legitimate.
Finding a new place to live is stressful enough without having to worry about getting scammed.
But as more renters search for apartments online — especially during the busy summer moving season — fraudsters are taking advantage with convincing fake listings, impersonation scams, and requests for upfront payments.
To help renters stay safe, ConsumerAffairs spoke with Ira Bondar-Mucci, Fraud Platform Lead at Veriff, about the most common rental scams and the simple steps people can take to protect themselves.
Why is the summer perfect timing for rental scams?
While rental scams can strike at any time, the summer season is likely to be prime time. This is because the peak rental season is between May and September.
“Although there are many listings on the market, renters face steep competition to secure leases, especially in major U.S. cities,” Bondar-Mucci said. “With a competitive market, renters can turn to marketplaces like Craigslist or Facebook as an alternate source for listings. However, these marketplaces are particularly ripe for scams.”
The most common scams
Bondar-Mucci detailed some of the most common schemes that target renters.
“A common scheme renters should be aware of, especially during the busy summer lease season, are fake listing scams where fraudsters create bogus listings to trick renters into making payments, like application fees, for a property that does not exist,” she said.
“In tandem, scammers often use stolen or synthetic identity details to appear legitimate while masking their real identity.”
One of the biggest threats: AI.
“Bad actors can utilize AI to create realistic looking listing images and descriptions, impersonate property owners, and produce credible looking documents that previously would have required far more effort to develop,” Bondar-Mucci said. “Realistic looking documents or images augmented with AI can help bad actors more easily secure payment or personal documents that can lead to identity theft or financial loss.”
The red flags
To help renters avoid costly mistakes, Bondar-Mucci shared some of the red flags to be wary of:
A listing priced suspiciously low for the amenities or location of an apartment
A listing contact creates a sense of urgency to quickly move the conversation off-platform
A listing contact pressures renters to provide payment before a viewing
A listing contact prompts renters to immediately share any personal sensitive information.
A renter being asked to provide payment in the form of gift cards, crypto currency, wire transfer, or other non-reversible or non-secure payment methods
Verify a listing before sharing your info
For renters navigating the market, Bondar-Mucci says that the best thing you can do is slow down and pause before making any big decisions.
“It’s critical to take a step back and slow down before sharing personal information or sending any money related to a listing,” she said.
Here are some more tips for renters to stay safe:
Ask for tangible proof that is difficult to fake at scale. Videos or images of a rental can be easily imitated, so renters should start by asking for an in-person showing, or if that’s not possible, push for a live video walkthrough.
Ask thorough questions. If conducting a live virtual walk through, make sure to ask questions in real time to the landlord or leasing agent to help ensure the video is not a deepfake.
Do your homework. When applicable, renters should also look to independently verify property ownership or management through public records, an official property management website, or calling a number tied to the property, not provided on the listing.
An extra search can save time and money. It’s also worth searching the listing photos and the property address online — if the same images or address turn up under a different name or price, or as a property listed for sale rather than rent, that’s a strong sign of a scam.