Is a rental that wants a deposit before a viewing a scam?
Last reviewed: 2026-08-01 · Checked with Hunch’s on-device engine, the same one inside the extension. How Hunch checks →
Part of our guide: How to avoid online shopping scams →
Almost always. “I’m abroad so I can’t show it, send a deposit to hold it” is the rental-deposit scam. The listing is often copied from a real one, the price is a little too good, and the moment you send money the “landlord” disappears.
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Renters under pressure carry the risk here, people relocating, students, anyone in a tight market who can’t easily view a place in person. A good apartment at a low price feels like luck worth grabbing before someone else does, and “I’m abroad, send a deposit to hold it” reads as an ordinary landlord’s inconvenience rather than the trap it is.
Illustrative example of the pattern, not a real message someone received.
How to verify it yourself
- Never pay a deposit before seeing the place in person or via a verified live viewing.
- Reverse-image-search the listing photos, scammers reuse real listings.
- A landlord who is “always abroad” and rushes you is a red flag.
- Never send deposits by wire, gift card, or crypto.
Common questions
landlord wants deposit before viewing, is it a scam
Almost always. A real landlord or agent lets you view the place first. “Send a deposit to hold it” before any viewing is the core of the rental-deposit scam.
is a rental listing that is too cheap a scam
A price noticeably below the market for the area is a classic lure. Scammers underprice a copied listing to attract a rush of deposits before anyone visits.
should I pay a deposit to hold an apartment I haven’t seen
No. Never send money to reserve a place you or a trusted person haven’t seen in person or on a verified live video tour with the keys and address confirmed.
rental scam signs
Watch for a landlord who’s “abroad” and can’t show it, pressure to pay fast, deposits by wire or gift card, and photos that appear on other listings when reverse-searched.
If you already responded
- If you sent a deposit, contact your bank or wire service immediately to try to stop or recall it.
- Keep all messages, the listing, and receipts as evidence.
- Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the site where you found the listing.
Source: FTC, How To Avoid a Scam