Rental & Real Estate Scams
Fake listings on Zillow or Craigslist collect deposits for apartments that don't exist. Worse, wire fraud emails intercept real estate closings and redirect hundreds of thousands of dollars. Rental season and moving periods are peak attack times.
How it worksThe anatomy of the scam
Every case follows roughly the same playbook. Recognize the pattern, stop it early.
1. The dream listing
Photos and price look amazing. Sometimes photos are scraped from a real listing with the address changed.
2. Out-of-town landlord
'I'm a missionary overseas / doctor abroad — the keys will be shipped.' They can't show the unit in person.
3. Deposit by wire or Zelle
First month and deposit before you can see the place.
4. The vanish
Money sent. Landlord ghosts. You drive to the address to find real tenants living there.
5. Closing wire fraud variant
Scammers hack title company email and send fake wiring instructions right before closing, redirecting the full purchase price.
Warning signsRed flags to watch for
If you're seeing two or more of these, assume it's a scam until proven otherwise.
Price way under market
If it's 30% cheaper than comparable units, it's fake.
Landlord can't meet in person
Any reason given is a lie.
Payment by wire or cash apps
Real landlords accept checks or ACH.
Urgent last-minute wire instructions
At closing: always call your title company at a known number to verify.
Protect yourselfDo this. Not that.
✓ Do
Drive by the property. Knock on the door. Talk to neighbors.
✗ Don't
Never send a deposit for a unit you haven't physically toured.
✓ Do
For closings, call your title company at their published number before wiring anything.
✗ Don't
Never trust wiring instructions sent by email alone — always verify by phone.
RelatedIf this happened to you, also check
Has this happened to you?
Your story could stop the next person from losing their savings. Submit anonymously in about two minutes.