TL;DR: Landlords exchange money with strangers, giving scammers cover to pose as tenants. Let deposit checks fully clear before refunding anything, and vet maintenance vendors and their licensing independently rather than trusting whoever contacts you first.
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Landlords exchange money with strangers, giving scammers cover to pose as tenants.
Common Tactics Used
Fake tenants pay a security deposit with a bad check and ask for a refund of the 'overpayment,' and fraudulent maintenance vendors request payment upfront for work never done.
How to Protect Against It
Let deposit checks fully clear before refunding anything, and vet maintenance vendors and their licensing independently rather than trusting whoever contacts you first.
What Family and Friends Can Do
Sudden secrecy about money, unusual withdrawals, or a new online relationship that stays undisclosed are all worth a calm, judgment-free conversation. The earlier a scam is caught, the more can usually be recovered.
If this looks similar to something else you've seen, it's worth reading Scams Targeting Military Families.
This pattern shows up elsewhere too — see Scams Targeting New Immigrants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are they specifically targeted?
Landlords exchange money with strangers, giving scammers cover to pose as tenants.
What tactics do scammers use?
Fake tenants pay a security deposit with a bad check and ask for a refund of the 'overpayment,' and fraudulent maintenance vendors request payment upfront for work never done.
How can they protect themselves?
Let deposit checks fully clear before refunding anything, and vet maintenance vendors and their licensing independently rather than trusting whoever contacts you first.
What should family or friends watch for?
Sudden secrecy about money or new online relationships, unusual withdrawals or wire transfers, and reluctance to discuss a new "opportunity" or contact in detail are all worth a gentle, non-judgmental conversation.
What should I do if I think this has already happened?
Stop all contact and payments immediately, report it to the appropriate authority, and contact the bank or payment provider involved to see what can be recovered.