Sublease scams: how fake rental listings take your deposit
Quick answer
A too-good-to-be-true sublease or rental where the owner can't show the place and wants a deposit by wire, gift card or crypto is a scam. Check who owns the property, see it before you pay, and never send money you can't get back.
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How it works
The FTC says rental scams usually work one of two ways.
In the first, scammers take over a real listing: they copy the photos, description or virtual tour, swap in their own contact details and repost it. In the second, they invent a listing for a place that isn't for rent or doesn't exist, often with low rent or great amenities.
Once you reply, they ask for one or more of these:
- Money: an application fee, deposit, first month's rent or a vacation rental charge.
- Personal details: an application with your Social Security number, a photo of your driver's license, paystubs and more, which they can use for identity theft.
- Credit score screenshots, so you'll sign up for a paid credit monitoring program with recurring fees.
The "owner" usually says they're out of the country, can't show the place, and rushes you to decide. Then they disappear.
Red flags
- Rent far below similar places nearby
- The owner can't meet or show the property and has an excuse
- Pressure to decide quickly
- Payment only by wire transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency
- An application that asks for your Social Security number before you've agreed to anything
- A request for your credit score screenshots
- The same address listed with a different owner or company elsewhere
Example message
I'm out of the country right now, so I can't show you the apartment, but I can send the keys once you pay the deposit and first month's rent by [payment method]. Other people are interested, so please decide today.
What to do
- 1
Stop and check the listing
Search the address with the owner or rental company's name. If the same address appears with a different owner, or the company's own site doesn't list it, treat it as a scam. Search city or county tax records to see who owns the property.
- 2
Don't pay by wire, gift card or crypto
The FTC says these payments are like sending cash: once it's gone, you probably can't get it back.
- 3
Hold back personal details
Until you've agreed to rent, a landlord doesn't need your Social Security number or credit score. Use contact details you already have for the real owner, not the ones sent to you.
- 4
If you paid, call your bank or payment provider
Tell them it was fraud and ask whether the payment can be stopped. Keep the listing, messages and receipts.
- 5
If you shared identity documents
Go to IdentityTheft.gov for next steps and read our guide on what to do after a data breach. Consider a credit freeze.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Rental scammers want renters who are actively searching, and they get your email and phone number from the listing sites you use, but also from data brokers and people-search sites. Your past addresses help them guess where you're moving from.
Serus finds where your address, phone number and email are listed and removes them where it can, so fewer scammers can reach you.
Frequently asked
How can I tell a real listing from a fake one?
Search the address and owner's name, compare against the rental company's own website, and look at the property in person or through someone you trust. Be wary of a rent that's far under the going rate.
Is a virtual tour proof the place is real?
Not by itself. The FTC says scammers can copy listings from landlords who use self-tour services, so dig further: ask for the agent's business card and check their ID.
Why do they ask for my credit score?
Most landlords pull your credit themselves. A scammer may ask for screenshots to get you to sign up for a paid credit monitoring service.
Where do I report a rental scam?
To local law enforcement, the website where the ad was posted, the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general.
Sources
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