Rental listing scams: verify the landlord and protect your deposit
An attractive flat, other interested tenants and pressure to reserve quickly. A scammer exploits the fear of missing out to obtain money before you verify the property and the person offering it.
What is happening?
Seeing a listing alone does not cause a loss. Risk increases when someone asks for documents, a deposit or payment before you verify the property.
I only found a suspicious listing
The offer seems too good, the photos look suspicious or the contact details do not match.
View the steps →I am talking to the supposed owner
The person pressures you, refuses a viewing or will not prove their connection to the property.
View the steps →I am being asked for a deposit or reservation fee
Payment is requested before a viewing, agreement or verification of the person offering the property.
What to check before paying →I have already sent money
You paid a reservation fee, deposit or rent and the conversation is becoming suspicious.
Open urgent response steps →How rental fraud usually works
The scammer tries to move you from an attractive listing to a first payment before you can verify it independently.
Attractive offer
The price is below similar properties or the terms seem unusually favourable.
Quick reply
The supposed landlord replies promptly, professionally and seems very helpful.
Excuse to avoid a viewing
They are abroad, a tenant is still there or a normal appointment supposedly cannot be arranged.
Other applicants
Several other people supposedly want the flat, so you must decide immediately.
Reservation payment
You are asked to pay an advance, deposit or reservation fee before verification.
Another demand
After the first payment, another fee, balance or supposed administration charge may follow.
The flat may be fake, real or even accessible
Do not check only whether the property exists. Verify the person offering it and their authority to let it too.
The advertised flat does not exist
Photos are copied from another listing, holiday accommodation, property website or social media.
The flat exists, but the scammer has no connection to it
They use a real address and photos of a real flat, making the listing look verifiable.
The scammer has access but no right to let it
Entry, keys and an in-person viewing do not automatically prove ownership or permission to let.
A personal meeting can still end in a lost deposit
One payment can lead to another
The scammer may not stop at one reservation fee. The first transfer can reveal that you are willing to send more money.
First reservation
You send money supposedly to stop the flat being offered to someone else.
Another advance
A request follows for a deposit, part of the rent or another administration fee.
One more balance
The scammer claims that one final amount remains before handing over keys or a contract.
How to check who owns the property and may let it
Checking the address is not enough. Establish who owns the property and whether the person dealing with you may act for them.
Use the relevant official records
Where available, check the relevant official property register. Access and information differ by country. For a flat in the Czech Republic, the official ČÚZK register is linked below.
Compare the identity
Compare the person’s verified identity with the available ownership information. A name match alone is not enough.
If a representative is involved
Ask whom they represent and how their authority can be verified independently.
Verify contact details independently
Check the agency or owner using contact details you found yourself.
What can be normal and what is suspicious
A deposit or advance is not automatically fraud. What matters is knowing whom you are paying, why and under what verified agreement.
Normal process
- An in-person viewing is possible.
- The landlord’s identity can be verified.
- Their relationship to the property is documented.
- You have time to read the agreement.
- The payment has a clearly stated purpose.
- The account and recipient make sense.
- Deposit conditions are agreed in writing.
Risky process
- Pay first, then you can view it.
- The owner is supposedly abroad long-term.
- Keys will be sent by courier or a foreign service.
- Other applicants are waiting for your transfer.
- The reservation must be paid within hours.
- Payment goes to someone else’s account.
- Another fee follows the first payment.
- The person refuses to prove their connection to the property.
Photos can be genuine — and stolen
The scammer can copy an existing listing and change the price, contact or payment details.
The same photos elsewhere
Search for the same flat, address or extracts from the listing.
Different price
The same property may be offered elsewhere at a much higher price or on different terms.
Different contact details
The photos match, but the name, email or phone number differs.
Location mismatch
The surroundings, layout or view do not match the actual address.
When to stop a payment and investigate
One sign alone may not prove fraud. Several together mean you should not pay until you verify the situation.
Unusually low price
The offer is far cheaper than comparable flats nearby.
Payment before viewing
You must send money before seeing the flat.
The owner is abroad
An in-person meeting is supposedly impossible and someone else will send the keys.
Time pressure
Several others supposedly want the flat, so you must pay now.
Chat or email only
The person refuses calls, video calls or in-person verification.
Someone else’s bank account
The recipient does not match the landlord or verified agency.
Refusal to prove authority
The person will not explain or document their connection to the property.
More fees after the first payment
After the reservation come more advances, balances or supposed administration charges.
Answer seven questions before sending money
A few minutes of checking can reveal inconsistencies before you pay a reservation fee or deposit.
What to do at each stage
Keep the conversation and do not send more money because the supposed landlord promises to refund the earlier payment.
I only found a suspicious listing
- Send no money.
- Save the listing URL and a screenshot.
- Search for the same photos and text elsewhere.
- Verify the property, ownership and authority to let.
- Report the listing to the platform.
I am talking to the supposed landlord
- Share no further personal information.
- Request an in-person viewing.
- Verify the person’s identity.
- Verify ownership or authority to represent the owner.
- Do not give in to time pressure.
I sent an identity document
- Keep the conversation and files you sent.
- Stop sharing further information.
- Watch for unexpected registrations and signs of identity misuse.
- Contact affected institutions if misuse is discovered; ask the document issuer about protective steps if needed.
- Report your suspicions to local police.
I have already sent money
- Contact your bank immediately.
- Ask whether the payment can be reviewed or stopped.
- Send no further money.
- Keep the account number, amount and transaction time.
- Save the full listing, conversation and documents.
- Contact your local police.
Act quickly after paying a deposit or advance
Contact your bank through an official channel without waiting for more explanations from the supposed landlord.
What to keep
Keep information linking the listing, person, conversation and financial transaction.
Listing URL and screenshot
Page address, date, price, description and platform.
Property photos
Save images from the listing or conversation.
Profile and contacts
Name, email, phone number, username and profile.
Full conversation
Messages, emails, voice messages and a timeline.
Agreements and documents
Tenancy agreement, reservation terms, authority documents and identity documents sent.
Payment details
Account number, amount, time, recipient and transaction confirmation.
Rental listing scams — FAQ
Is every deposit before moving in suspicious?
No. Deposits and advances can be normal. Risk arises when identity or authority is unverified, or payment is demanded before a viewing and clear agreement. Applicable rules vary by country.
How do I identify the actual owner?
Use relevant official records where accessible and independently verify the person offering the property. In the Czech Republic, the official ČÚZK register is one source. Access differs elsewhere.
What if an estate agent or representative offers the flat?
Check whom they represent and their authority to act. Verify the agency through its independently found official contact details.
Does an in-person viewing prove everything is fine?
No. Someone may have access without owning the property or having permission to let it. Verify ownership and authority as well.
What if the owner says they are abroad?
Being abroad alone does not prove fraud, but it is no reason to pay an unverified person. Require verifiable identity, authority and a safe process.
How can I spot stolen photos?
Use reverse image search, compare listing text and look for the same property on other websites.
What should I do after paying a reservation fee?
Contact your bank immediately, send no further money, save the listing and conversation, and report the suspected fraud to local police.
Where can I report a fraudulent listing?
Report it to the listing platform and local police if you suspect a crime or suffered a loss. You can also send a report to DPP.
Found a suspicious rental or fake listing?
Keep the URL, photos, profile, conversation and payment information. A report to DPP does not replace contacting your bank or police. DPP’s form is currently in Czech.