Avoid Online Rental Scams: 12 Red Flags Every Renter Should Know!

Rental scams rarely look like scams at first. They look like a great place at a fair price, posted by an owner who replies fast. That's exactly why they work.

The numbers back this up. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 12,368 real estate fraud complaints in 2025, with reported losses of $275.1 million, up from about $173 million in 2024. IC3 counts financial loss from fraud involving rental or timeshare property as real estate fraud, so rent scams sit right inside that figure. 

Below are 12 red flags that keep showing up in real estate scams aimed at renters. We've also added a section for landlords and property managers, because rental fraud costs them money too.

Listing Red Flags

The following are some: 

1. The rent is far below the going rate

Scammers price low to get lots of replies fast. The FTC warns that rent a lot cheaper than most rents in the area could be a sign of a scam. 

Before you reach out, compare three or four similar units in the same ZIP code. If one listing is much cheaper and nothing explains it, slow down. 

2. The same home appears elsewhere with different details

Copy the full address into a search engine. 

An FTC consumer education specialist advises that if the same address shows up in another rental with a different price or different landlord contact details, that's a sign of a scam. If the home is listed for sale instead of for rent, that's also a big red flag.

3. The photos seem borrowed

Scammers copy the pictures, description, or virtual tour from a real listing, swap in their own contact details, and post the fake ad on a new site. 

Run the photos through a reverse image search like Google Lens. If they show up on an old listing or a real estate agent's page, walk away. 

Landlord Behavior Red Flags

The following are some: 

4. The owner can't show you the place

Out of town, overseas, too busy. The excuse changes, but the result doesn't. The FTC's advice is simple: don't pay for a property you've never seen, and never pay someone you've never met in person. If you can't visit, send someone you trust. 

Be careful with video, too. IC3 logged 22,364 AI-related complaints tied to $893.3 million in losses in 2025. A prerecorded tour proves nothing. Ask for a live video call and have the person open a specific closet or step outside to show the house number. 

5. They push you to decide today

Three other people want it. Send the deposit by tonight. Urgency stops you from checking facts. The FTC says if anyone pressures you to make a decision quickly, walk away. 

6. You can't confirm who they are

A real owner or manager can prove it. 

The FTC notes rental agents should carry photo ID badges from the company that owns or manages the property, and suggests looking for a sign at the rental with the owner or manager's name, then calling that company before you make a deal. 

You can also check your county's property records to see if the owner's name matches. Then search the company's name with words like review, complaint, or scam.

7. They want to move off the listing site

Many apartment scams start on a real platform and then shift to text, WhatsApp, or a personal email. Once you leave the site, you lose its protections and its records. The FTC recommends applying through the rental company, a licensed real estate professional, or the listings website. 

Payment Red Flags

The following are some: 

8. They ask for money you can't get back

How someone wants to get paid tells you a lot.

The FTC lists gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps like Apple Pay, Cash App, PayPal and Zelle, and cryptocurrency as the methods scammers prefer, and says a credit card gives you the best protections. 

9. They want money before a tour or a lease

A deposit to hold a unit you haven't seen is one of the most common rent scams. Pay nothing until you've toured the home, verified the owner, and read a written lease.

10. The fees shift or aren't in writing

A new processing fee appears. Then a key fee. The FTC tells renters to ask the agent to confirm, in writing, any fees they'll have to pay on top of rent. If they won't, that's your answer. 

Paperwork and Personal Data Red Flags

The following are some: 

11. They ask for your SSN or ID too early

Some rental scams aren't after your deposit at all. Scammers may ask for your Social Security number, a picture of your driver's license, and pay stubs, then use that information to steal your identity. 

Share sensitive data only through a secure screening portal, and only after you've verified the listing and the owner. 

12. They ask for credit score screenshots

The FTC warns that a scammer might ask for screenshots of your credit scores, when the real goal is to get you to enroll in a paid credit monitoring program with recurring fees. Real landlords run screening through a proper tenant screening service. They don't send you links to sign up for something. 

How TenantDen Helps You Avoid Rental Scams

TenantDen was built to close the gaps that rental fraud depends on:

• Every listing is verified before it goes live, so renters see real homes from real owners.
• Tenant screening runs through TransUnion SmartMove, so renters enter their details directly and landlords get credit, criminal, and eviction reports without passing an SSN around by email.
• eLeases let both sides review and sign online, with a clear record of every term.
• Secure online payments and two-factor authentication keep accounts and money protected.
• Landlords can list for free and message renters directly, without anyone moving to an unknown phone number.

Think You've Been Scammed? Act Fast

• Call your bank or card issuer right away and ask to stop or dispute the payment.
• Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov, then tell your local police and the site where you saw the ad.
• If you shared your SSN, go to IdentityTheft.gov and place a free credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Rental scams keep changing, but they all need the same thing from you: money or data before you've verified anything. Take that away, and most rent scams fall apart.

Ready to search safely? 

Browse verified homes on TenantDen, or list your property for free today.