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How to avoid rental listing scams

By LeaseACondo Editorial Team, Editorial · Updated Aug 14, 2026

Short answer

Never pay a deposit before verifying the property, the person and their authority to rent it. Refuse wire transfers, gift cards and crypto, and treat any request to pay before viewing as a red flag.

The four common patterns

  1. The copied listing. Real photos of a real property, taken from another site, advertised by someone with no connection to it.
  2. The absent owner. "I am abroad; wire the deposit and I will courier the keys."
  3. The below-market bait. Priced well under comparable units to force a fast decision.
  4. The unauthorised sublet. A current tenant letting a unit they have no right to let.

Verification steps

  • View the property, or have someone you trust view it.
  • Confirm the person's authority: an agent's licence number, or an owner's name against the public property record.
  • Reverse-image-search the photos.
  • Confirm the building genuinely permits the lease term being offered.
  • Get a written lease before any money moves.

Payment red flags

Wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, payment apps to a personal account, or any pressure to pay today. LeaseACondo never collects deposits or rent. Anyone claiming to take a deposit on our behalf is committing fraud — report it to us and to your local authorities.

Reporting

Every LeaseACondo listing has a "Report inaccurate listing" control. Reports go to our moderation queue.

Sources

Rental law varies by country, state and municipality. This guide is general information and is not legal advice. Confirm the rules that apply to your specific building and jurisdiction.