Rentler strives to provide a safe online marketplace, but there is one critical piece of information you should take wherever you go: Always be wary of giving personal information, financial information, or payments of any kind to people you don't know or who haven't been verified.
Red Flags for Scams
Use caution with the following:
Long-distance inquiries. Take extra care in long-distance situations, especially from users in foreign countries. We have seen a number of scam attempts that involve individuals in foreign countries who say they are interested in purchasing or renting out a home.
Requests that you send a check or money order, or wire funds. Most scams eventually involve such a request, and there are many variations. A scammer may have convincing reasons why they need to deal remotely. They may wire overpayment of funds to you and request that you wire back a refund. They may ask you to use a false online "escrow service". Do not wire funds to anyone you haven't met personally. Also, do not accept wire funds that you did not initiate.
Requests for personal and/or financial information. With identity theft on the rise, it is a good general rule to provide your personal/financial information sparingly, and only to trusted sources. Do not sign up for online bill pay and transfer money until you have a signed contract and have met and seen the place you're renting.
Typos, grammatical errors and inflated stories. Emails that are filled with spelling and grammatical errors are usually a sign of fraud. Also, the sender might claim the importance of themselves or the person they are representing ("I work with the United nations development program") and could also weave an involved story about family issues.
An agent or landlord should never ask for personal information or a phone verification code prior to seeing a property. Any requests for bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, or being asked to provide them with a code sent to your cell phone via text or call are all signs of a potential scam. Report Scams and Fraud If you find a fraudulent listing on rentler, please report it by clicking “Flag this listing” at the bottom of the listing. You may also contact the following authorities to report possible fraud:
How to Recognize and Report Rental Scams
Unfortunately, rental scams are common, and it’s important to know what to look for. Below are examples of fraudulent messages and how to report them.
Report Suspected Scams
If you believe you’ve been targeted by a scam, please contact the proper authorities:
Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Call 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357) or file a report through the FTC online complaint form.
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): Submit a complaint through the IC3 website.
Local Police Department: Call your local non-emergency number to file a report.
Common Examples of Rental Scams
Example 1: “I’m out of the country and need you to wire me the deposit.”
How it works: You find a great rental (often too good to be true), but the “landlord” claims to be out of state or abroad. They’ll say they’ll mail you the keys if you wire a deposit.
Tip: Never wire money to someone you haven’t met in person. If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Example 2: “Oops, I overpaid you with my money order. Please send some back.”
How it works: A renter or buyer sends you a check for too much money and asks you to wire the difference back. Later, their check bounces, and the money you sent is gone forever.
Tip: Don’t accept or return funds from someone you don’t know.
Example 3: “Please wire me a deposit. Rentler will guarantee your money!”
How it works: The scammer tells you that Rentler (or another company) will guarantee your transaction. No such guarantee exists.
Tip: Rentler does not guarantee payments. If you send money under this claim, you will likely lose it.
Example 4: “I have a lot of money and need your help moving it out of the country.”
How it works: A scammer pretends to be someone official, promising you a large reward if you help move money. They then request smaller “fees” to continue the process, which you never get back.
Tip: Be wary of long-distance inquiries and requests to wire money.
Example 5: “I want to rent your property. Please send sensitive information.”
How it works: Someone pretends to be interested in your property but asks for personal information like bank details or identification to steal your identity.
Tip: Never share personal or financial information with strangers online.
Stay Safe
Meet landlords, renters, or buyers in person whenever possible.
Be cautious with requests for wired money.
Protect your personal information.
If something feels off, trust your instincts.