A renter's guide from Be Kind Property Management.
Key takeaways (TL;DR)
Renters reported nearly 65,000 rental scams and about $65 million in losses to the FTC between January 2020 and June 2025 — and because most fraud is never reported, the real number is far higher.
The median loss is about $1,000, usually a deposit or first month's rent wired to a stranger.
About half of reported rental scams start with a fake ad on Facebook. Renters aged 18–29 are three times more likely to lose money.
Almost every rental scam breaks one of three rules: you're rushed, you're asked to pay before you see the place, or you're told to pay in a way that can't be reversed (wire, gift card, crypto, Zelle).
If you can only remember one sentence: never send money for a home you haven't toured, to a person you haven't verified, through a method you can't reverse.
Why rental scams are exploding right now
A rental scam is when someone advertises a home they don't own or can't rent to you, collects your money or personal information, and disappears. It's an old con that has gotten dramatically easier to run.
According to the Federal Trade Commission's December 2025 Data Spotlight, consumers filed nearly 65,000 rental scam reports totaling roughly $65 million from January 2020 through June 2025, with a median reported loss of $1,000. The FTC also notes that research suggests fewer than 5% of fraud victims ever report to a government agency — so the reports on file are a fraction of the real damage.
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) tells the same story from another angle: its 2025 report counted 12,368 real estate fraud complaints (up from 9,359 the year before) and more than $275 million in losses, up from about $173 million. (That category is broader than rentals, but rental fraud is a major driver.)
Two things changed. First, social media replaced the classified ad: the FTC found that about half of rental scam reports in the year ending June 2025 started with a fake Facebook ad, with another 16% starting with a fake Craigslist listing. Second, AI made the fakes look real — scammers now copy professional photos, clone video tours, and generate convincing lease documents in minutes.
Why younger adults get hit hardest. The FTC found adults 18–29 were three times more likely than older adults to report losing money to a rental scam. A big part of that is simple exposure: young adults are far more likely to be renters in the first place. Pew Research and Census data show about two-thirds (roughly 66%) of adults under 35 live in rentals, compared with about 42% of 35-to-44-year-olds and under a third of 45-to-54-year-olds — and adults under 35 make up roughly 35% of all renter households. They also move more often (leases end, jobs change, school starts), so they're in the market more frequently. The other part is where they search: younger renters lean heavily on Facebook groups, campus housing pages, and sublet boards — exactly the least-verifiable corners of the market, and the ones scammers flood with fake listings. More time in the rental market, plus more reliance on hard-to-verify channels, adds up to more risk.
Rental scams in Washington: what the data shows (and doesn't)
Getting a clean, Washington-only dollar figure for rental fraud is harder than it should be. The FBI's real estate fraud category lumps in timeshares and home-purchase scams, and the FTC's $65 million is a national total. But a few things are clear for our market:
Washington reports feed the national numbers. The FTC's Consumer Sentinel database is filterable by state at ftc.gov/exploredata, and Washington consistently contributes rental-fraud reports — the Puget Sound region's high rents and low vacancy make it a prime target.
Local warnings are real and recurring. The Better Business Bureau serving the Northwest has repeatedly flagged spikes in rental scams across Washington; in one documented 2020 alert, more than 200 Washingtonians had already reported over $107,000 in combined losses through mid-2020 — and that was before the AI-driven surge.
The scams are hitting close to home. Seattle area renters have lost thousands to fake listings — in one documented case, a Seattle renter lost about $3,500 after a scammer used the real owner's name in a spoofed email — and police in the Seattle–Tacoma area have investigated rental fraud schemes targeting local victims.
For a nationwide gut check on scale: an Apartment List study (led by Igor Popov, a Stanford University-trained economist) estimated that 5.2 million U.S. renters lost money to rental scams, with a median loss of about $400 — but one in three victims lost more than $1,000. Encouragingly, the same study found 85% of people who encountered a fake listing did not fall for it — which is exactly what knowing the red flags below does for you.
The 5 rental scams every renter should recognize
1. The hijacked (or "phantom") listing
What it looks like: A beautiful home at a below-market price. The photos are real — because the scammer copied them from a genuine listing (sometimes a home that's actually for sale, not for rent) and swapped in their own contact info. Or the property is entirely invented.
What it costs: This is the engine behind that $65 million. Victims typically lose a deposit and/or first month's rent — the FTC's median is $1,000, but four-figure and five-figure losses are common when "first, last, and deposit" are demanded up front.
Red flags:
The rent is noticeably below comparable homes nearby.
The "landlord" only communicates by text or email and is evasive about the exact address.
The listing pressures you to "act now" before others.
You do a reverse image search and the same photos appear under a different name, address, or as a "for sale" listing.
2. The "wire the deposit to hold it" scam
What it looks like: You're told the unit is in high demand, so you need to send a deposit now to hold it — before an application, before a tour, before a signed lease. The scammer pushes wire transfer, Zelle, Venmo, gift cards, or crypto because those payments are fast and nearly impossible to reverse.
What it costs: Whatever you send is usually gone for good. Money sent by wire, gift card, or crypto is rarely recoverable.
Red flags:
Any request for money before you've toured the home and signed a lease.
A demand for gift cards, crypto, wire, or a peer-to-peer app to a personal account.
"I'm out of the country / a missionary / military deployed, so I can't show it, but I'll mail the keys."
3. The lockbox / self-tour hijack (the "fake viewing")
What it looks like: Most landlords use self-tour lockboxes for legitimate reasons. Scammers exploit this by copying a real self-tour listing, then texting you a lockbox code (or telling you how to get one) so you can walk through a home they don't control. Standing inside a "real" house makes the con feel legitimate — right before they ask for a deposit.
What it costs: The tour is free; the trap is the deposit that follows. The FTC notes that scam-warning notices some real landlords now post inside these homes have helped tip victims off.
Red flags:
You got a lockbox code from someone you've only texted with.
No leasing agent, property manager, or verified owner ever appears in person or on a verified call.
There's a printed notice inside warning that the home is not actually for rent.
4. The application-fee and "credit check" harvesting scam
What it looks like: Instead of (or before) taking your rent money, the scammer collects application fees or sends you to a shady "credit check" link — often an affiliate site that enrolls you in a recurring paid membership — or harvests your Social Security number, ID, and bank details for identity theft.
What it costs: Beyond the fee itself, the real damage can be months of fraudulent charges or full-blown identity theft that takes years to untangle.
Red flags:
You're pushed to pay an application fee before any tour or verified contact.
You're directed to a specific outside "credit check" link chosen by the "landlord."
You're asked for a full SSN, a photo of your ID, and bank logins early, over email or text.
5. The fake landlord and sublet scam
What it looks like: Someone poses as the owner, a "property manager," or a current tenant subletting their place. They may hack or spoof a real company's email to look legitimate. In sublet versions (common near colleges), a "tenant" collects a deposit for a room they don't control — or that doesn't exist.
What it costs: Deposits plus, often, personal information. Because the scammer borrowed a real name or company, victims don't realize anything is wrong until the money's gone.
Red flags:
The email domain is slightly "off" (a free email account, or a near-miss of a real company name).
The person can't prove ownership or authorization to rent.
A sublet deal that skips the actual property manager or owner entirely.
How to protect yourself: the renter's 8-point safety checklist
1. Never pay before you tour. No exceptions. If you can't see it and can't send someone you trust, walk away.
2. Reverse image search the photos. Drop them into Google Images. If they show up under another name, address, or a "for sale" post, it's a scam.
3. Verify the property and the person. Cross-check the address on Google Street View and in the county's public property records (King, Pierce, and Thurston Counties all offer free online ownership lookup). Confirm the person is the owner or an authorized manager.
4. Refuse irreversible payments. Legitimate landlords don't require wire transfers, gift cards, crypto, or Zelle to a personal account to "hold" a unit.
5. Get a written, signed lease before any money changes hands — and read it.
6. Guard your personal data. Don't send your SSN, ID, or bank logins over text/email to an unverified party.
7. Trust the "too good to be true" instinct. Below-market rent plus urgency plus a landlord who "can't meet in person" is the classic scam signature.
8. Work with a licensed, local property manager or verified owner whose office, phone, and address you can independently confirm.
What to do if you've already been scammed
1. Stop all contact and save everything: screenshots, texts, emails, receipts, the listing.
2. Call your bank or payment provider immediately. Ask about a chargeback or a freeze. (Wire, gift card, and crypto are usually unrecoverable, but call anyway.)
3. File a police report with your local department. Banks and insurers often require one.
4. Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
5. Report to the FBI at ic3.gov (the Internet Crime Complaint Center).
6. Report to the Washington State Attorney General at atg.wa.gov.
7. Report the listing to the platform (Facebook, Craigslist, Zillow, etc.) so the next renter is protected.
8. If your personal information was exposed, consider a credit freeze with all three bureaus and monitor your accounts.
Reporting rarely gets your money back, but it protects the next person and creates the paper trail your bank needs.
How Be Kind Property Management protects renters
At Be Kind Property Management (BKPM), every home we advertise is a real unit we actually manage. That means:
Verified, first-party listings. Our homes come from us, not a hijacked ad. We're a licensed Washington brokerage — you can verify our license and our team before you ever pay a dime.
Secure, documented payments. We never ask you to wire a deposit or buy gift cards to "hold" a unit. Applications, screening, and payments happen through our tenant portal with a paper trail.
A signed lease before money moves. Terms in writing, up front, every time.
Being kind starts with being honest. If you're renting in the Seattle area and a "deal" feels off, you're welcome to run it by us — a two-minute gut check can save you a $1,000 mistake.
Frequently asked questions
How do I avoid a rental scam?
Never send money for a home you haven't toured, to a person you haven't verified, using a method you can't reverse. Reverse-image-search the photos, confirm ownership in county property records, and only pay after you've signed a lease with a verified landlord or licensed property manager.
What do I do if I've been scammed on a rental?
Act immediately: call your bank to attempt a freeze or reversal, file a police report, and report to the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov), the FBI (ic3.gov), and the Washington State Attorney General (atg.wa.gov). Save all screenshots, texts, and emails. If personal data was exposed, place a credit freeze with all three bureaus.
What's the most common rental scam right now?
Hijacked or fake listings — often posted on Facebook. The FTC found about half of reported rental scams in the year ending June 2025 began with a fake Facebook ad.
How much do renters lose to scams?
The FTC reports a median loss of about $1,000 per incident, with nearly $65 million lost overall since 2020 — and that only counts reported cases.
Is it safe to pay a deposit before seeing an apartment?
No. Paying before an in-person (or trusted proxy) tour and a signed lease is the single biggest red flag in rental fraud.
What payment methods should make me suspicious?
Wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, and peer-to-peer apps (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App) sent to a personal account. These are hard or impossible to reverse — which is exactly why scammers prefer them.
I already sent money. What now?
Contact your bank immediately, file a police report, and report to the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov), the FBI (ic3.gov), and the Washington State Attorney General (atg.wa.gov). Save all communications.
Who do I report a rental scam to in Washington State?
The Washington State Attorney General's Office (atg.wa.gov), plus the FTC and FBI IC3, your local police, and the platform where you saw the listing.
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Sources: Federal Trade Commission Consumer Protection Data Spotlight (Dec. 2025); FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center 2025 Annual Report; Pew Research Center; Census Bureau; Apartment List Research (Igor Popov); Better Business Bureau Northwest; Washington State Attorney General's Office.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not legal advice. Be Kind Property Management operates under Designated Broker Sheilia McLaughlin, serving Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, Puyallup, Bellevue and points between in King, Pierce, and Thurston Counties, WA.