Don't pay anything until you've seen the place, in person or on a video call. A rental scam usually needs your money before you've seen it, so that's the one step to hold on to. Seeing it is the minimum, though, not proof on its own.
It doesn't matter much whether you're after a flatshare in London or a week's stay with a local abroad. The scams look alike, and they lean on the same thing: you want somewhere good, and someone is offering it a bit too easily.
They're common, too. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission received nearly 65,000 reports of rental scams between January 2020 and June 2025, with about $65 million in reported losses and a median reported loss of $1,000 (FTC, 2025). Those are US figures, but the same tricks turn up elsewhere.
The warning signs
Any one of these is a reason to slow down. Two together is a reason to stop.
- They want money before a viewing. A deposit, a "holding fee", the first month's rent, anything at all before you've seen the place.
- They push you to leave the site. Wanting to swap numbers isn't a scam in itself, but be wary of anyone who insists on paying outside the site, or rushes you away from its messages before you've met.
- The owner is abroad and can't show you round. Often with a moving story about a job overseas or a family emergency.
- The keys will come by post once you've paid.
- There's pressure to pay quickly. Lots of other people interested, the offer ends tonight.
- The rent is much lower than anything similar nearby.
- They ask for your ID, bank details or a credit check before you've agreed to rent. The US FTC warns that some send links to a credit check "often for $1" that signs you up to a paid membership with recurring fees.
- The same place appears elsewhere with a different price or different contact details.
Four things to do before you pay
- See it first. In person, or on a live video call where they walk you round. Ask them to look out of the window at the street and step outside the front door. A real host can do that in a minute. Someone using copied photos can't. Then search the address online: if the same place appears with a different price or different contact details, walk away.
- Keep talking on the site until you've met. If something goes wrong, the messages are there for you to report.
- Meet somewhere public the first time, and tell a friend where you're going and who you're meeting.
- If something feels off, report it. You don't need to be sure. That's what a report is for.
On Among Our People, the ID check for live-in homeshares happens on the site, through Stripe. Be very wary of anyone who asks you to send a photo of your ID straight to them. And remember what an ID check can and can't do: it confirms who someone is, but it doesn't prove that a listing is genuine.
If you've already paid
Don't be embarrassed. It happens to careful people too, and the sooner you act, the better.
- Call your bank straight away, using the number on your card or its website. In the UK, you can also dial 159 to reach most banks.
- Report it. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, report to Report Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. In the US, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Elsewhere, go to your local police.
- Report the listing on the site where you found it, so it can be taken down before it catches someone else.
If you're renting in London, our sister site has a fuller guide to rental scams in London, and our London renting guide covers the rest of the search. Once you've found somewhere, your rental deposit in England and Wales explains how your money should be protected.
Where this fits with Among Our People
We check every new listing for the most common of these signs before it goes live, and anything suspicious waits for a person to look at it (member safety on Among Our People). Phone numbers, emails and web links are blocked in listings, profiles and enquiries, so it's harder to pull you off the site. For rooms and homeshares, messages open only once both people have shown interest. And if something still feels wrong, you can report any listing, profile or chat, and block someone from their profile or a chat.
None of that replaces your own judgement, and the viewing still comes first. But you won't be doing it alone. Everything we do is on How we look out for you. ✦
General information, not legal or financial advice. Always check your own situation.
Last reviewed: 25 October 2026