Your place · Moving out

Apartment hunting and rental scams

Scammers copy real listings or invent places, then ask for an application fee, deposit or rent before you've seen anything. Search the address with the owner's name for duplicate ads, check the property company's own site, look up the owner on the county tax records, and see the place in person or with someone you trust. Never pay by wire, gift card or crypto, and don't hand over your Social Security number until you've verified the landlord.

Easy20 min to read, then use it on every listingFreeChecked October 2, 2026

You'll need

The listing link and the contact's name and number
Your phone, to search the address and owner
The inspection checklist below
Someone to bring to showings, if you can

What to know

Set your limits first. Know the most you can pay each month for rent plus utilities, and the most you can pay up front for fees and deposits, before you look. Source: California DRE² See Can I afford to move out?
Search the address plus the owner's name. Scammers copy photos and descriptions from real listings and swap in their own contact info. If the same address shows up with a different owner or company, that's a sign of a scam. Source: FTC¹
Check the company's own website. If a property company is named, see whether the unit is listed on its site too. If it isn't, the ad may be fake. Source: FTC¹
Look up who owns it. For a private landlord, search your city or county tax assessor's website for the owner of record, then check that the landlord's ID matches. Source: FTC¹ With a rental agent, ask for a business card from the company that owns or manages the property, and check the agent's ID. Source: FTC¹
Search for complaints. Search the owner or company name with "complaint," "review" or "scam". Source: FTC¹
See it before you pay. Visit in person, send a friend, or take a live video tour. The FTC warns even that's not a guarantee: scammers may set up a self-guided tour of a place they don't control. Source: FTC¹
Inspect it like you'll live there. Go through the checklist below. Inspecting before you rent lets you ask for repairs before move-in and protects you from being blamed for problems that were already there. Source: California DRE²
Guard your personal information. Don't give your Social Security number, a photo of your license or pay stubs to anyone you haven't verified. Scammers use rental applications to steal identities. Source: FTC¹ Contact the owner using information you found yourself, not what the person who contacted you gave you. Source: FTC¹
Pay the safe way, and only after a signed lease. Never pay by wire transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency. It's like sending cash, and once it's gone you probably can't get it back. Source: FTC¹ A check or card leaves a record.

Watch out The classic rental scam: rent far below the area's going rate, an owner who's "out of the country" and can't show it, pressure to decide fast, and payment by wire, gift card or crypto. Finding the same home listed for sale is another big red flag. Source: FTC¹

Showing checklist

Cracks or holes in floors, walls or ceilings.
Water stains, bubbling paint, soft spots, or a damp or moldy smell.
Dark spots that could be mold.
Rusty, smelly or discolored water. Run the hot water too: does it get hot?
Leaks under sinks and around the toilet and tub.
Windows and doors that don't open fully or don't lock.
Enough lights and outlets, and heat or AC that works.
Bad ventilation or odors.
Signs of insects or rodents.
Stove and fridge that work, and enough trash cans.
Smoke alarms present. This list follows California's official inspection checklist. Source: California DRE²

Questions to ask at the showing

What's the total monthly cost: rent, plus any required fees for parking, trash, amenities or pets?
Which utilities will I pay, and what do they usually run here?
How much is the deposit, and what's the move-in total?
How long is the lease, and what happens at the end?
How do I request repairs, and how fast are they usually handled?
Who manages the building, and how do I reach them after hours?
Can I see the exact unit I'd be renting, not a model?

Fees that may be capped where you live

Some states limit what you can be charged before you sign.

State	Application or screening fee
California	Capped at the landlord's actual costs, and no more than $62.02 as of December 2023, adjusted yearly. You get an itemized receipt, and a landlord can't charge it if there's no vacancy. Source: DRE²
New York	No more than $20 for a credit and background check, and the landlord must give you a copy. You can bring your own check from the past 30 days instead. Source: NY AG³

Other states set their own rules. Find yours through USA.gov's state tenant resources.

See it done

Video by Zillow Company video

How to Spot and Avoid Rentals Scams

Watch on YouTube: How to Spot and Avoid Rentals Scams | Learn with Zillow

Full title on YouTube: “How to Spot and Avoid Rentals Scams | Learn with Zillow”2025 · Checked October 3, 2026

Heads up: Zillow made this, so there are a few plugs for its app. The red flags match ours. Never pay by wire, gift card or crypto.

Video won't load at school or work? No problem. Everything you need is in the steps; the video's just a bonus. Watch it on YouTube later.

If it doesn't work

Already paid a scammer? Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and contact the company you paid through (your bank, card company or money transfer service) right away and ask them to reverse it. Source: FTC⁵
Sent your Social Security number or a photo of your license? Go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
Spotted a fake listing? Report it to the site where it was posted.
Turned down and think it was because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability? You can file a complaint with HUD. Source: HUD⁴

Good to know

The details, if you want them. Tap a line to open it.

The credit-score trick

Some fake landlords ask you to send screenshots of your credit scores. The FTC says the real goal is to sign you up for paid credit monitoring with recurring fees. Source: FTC¹

Your rights while you look

It's illegal to refuse to rent to you because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability. Source: HUD⁴ In California, ads also can't refuse tenants based on source of income, like "No Section 8". Source: California DRE²

Brokers

In New York, a broker's commission isn't set by law and can be negotiated. It shouldn't be paid until you're offered a lease signed by the landlord. Source: New York AG³

Take it with you

Printable card Download card (PDF)

Sources

Federal Trade Commission Rental listing scams
California Department of Real Estate California Tenants guide (2026)
New York State Attorney General Residential Tenants' Rights Guide
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair housing rights and obligations
Federal Trade Commission What to do if you were scammed
Federal Trade Commission IdentityTheft.gov

Lesson H1.2 · Last checked October 2, 2026 against the sources listed.

Report a mistake

Next in Your placeYour first lease

Once a week, if you want it

One new lesson or checklist a week. Totally optional. The lessons never need a sign-up.