Rental scams work because people are under time pressure and the listing looks like a bargain. They follow a small number of patterns.
Warning signs
- The price is well below the local market. Compare against three or four similar listings nearby. If it is far cheaper, there is a reason.
- The landlord cannot meet you. They are travelling, working abroad, or will post the keys. Nobody rents out a home they cannot show.
- Pressure to pay today. A holding fee to take it off the market, or another applicant who will take it if you hesitate.
- They want a wire transfer, gift cards or a payment app. These are chosen because they cannot be reversed.
- The photographs look like a listing you have seen before. Scammers reuse photos from real listings. A reverse image search takes ten seconds.
The rule that covers all of it
Never send money before you have stood inside the property and confirmed the person you are dealing with has the right to rent it. Not a deposit, not a holding fee, not an application fee.
NestSift never handles rent or deposits, and will never ask you to pay a landlord through this site. If anyone tells you otherwise, it is not us.
If something looks wrong
Use the “Report this listing” link on the listing page. We review reports the same day.