Is "fake landlord wants cash app payment for rental" a scam?

Question

Is "fake landlord wants cash app payment for rental" a scam? How do I know, and what should I do?

Accepted Answer

Yes — this is a known, dangerous scam. A scammer copies photos and details from a real real estate listing and reposts it at a far below-market price on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or roommate sites. They claim to be out of state and ask for first month's rent plus deposit by Zelle, Cash App, or wire before showing the unit. Red flags: Rent is well below market for the area — the obvious lure • The 'owner' is out of state or country and cannot show the unit in person • Payment demanded by Zelle, Cash App, Venmo, wire, or gift cards — never escrow • Pressure to send a deposit to 'hold' the unit because of high demand • The photos look professional and are sometimes reverse-searchable to a real for-sale listing. What to do: Never send money for a rental you have not physically toured (or had a trusted person tour for you) • Reverse-search the listing photos on Google Images. If the same photos appear on a real estate sales listing, the rental is fake • Look up the address on the county assessor's website — does the name on the listing match the actual owner? • Legitimate landlords accept rent via check, ACH, or property-management portals, not Zelle to a personal account • Report to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov.

Is “fake landlord wants cash app payment for rental” a scam?

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