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What should a landlord do when scammers copy a rental listing?

DoorKeeping team

4 min read

Find every fake copy, report each one to the site that hosts it, warn your tenants and neighbors, report the scam to the FTC and the FBI's IC3, and add a short notice to your real listing saying how you take applications and that you never ask for money before a showing. The scam works by copying your real photos and address, posting a lower rent, and collecting deposits from people who never see the unit. The victims show up at your door.

How a listing hijack works

The FTC describes rental listing scams as ads for a place that is not for rent, not as described or does not exist, where the scammer asks for a deposit or first month before the renter has seen it. In the hijack version, the scammer copies a real owner's listing, photos and address, lowers the rent so it looks like a bargain, and posts it on free listing sites and social media. When the renter writes, the scammer says they are out of town and asks for money by a method that is hard to undo.

  • The renter loses money. The owner often hears about it first from the victim standing at the property.
  • Your current tenants can be disturbed by strangers looking in windows.
  • Your name and address end up attached to a fraud, which can hurt your reputation.

Steps to take as soon as you hear about one

  1. Get the link and a screenshot of the fake ad, including the date and any contact details. If a victim tells you, ask them for the messages and the payment details.
  2. Search for your own address and for your photos. Search the address on the big listing sites and social marketplaces, and run your best photo through a reverse image search such as Google Lens.
  3. Report each fake ad to the site that hosts it, using its report-listing or report-scam option, and say that the property is yours and is not offered at that price.
  4. Tell your tenants and your neighbors, in writing, that the unit is not at that price, that strangers may show up, and that they should not let anyone in.
  5. Add a notice to your real listing. For example: "We never ask for money before a showing, and we only accept applications through our own application link."
  6. Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Report to local police if victims paid and want a case number.
  7. Keep your record. If a victim contacts you, be kind and direct: you did not receive their money, and they should contact their bank or payment service right away.

How to make your listing harder to copy and easier to trust

  • Add a small watermark with your company name to photos. It does not stop copying but it is a clue.
  • Leave the full street address and unit number out of the public post if you can, and give it to people who book a showing.
  • State your process in the ad: showing first, application link, no payment before a showing.
  • Use one real contact method, and answer from the same email each time, so a fake one stands out.
  • Search for your address once a month during a vacancy. Set an alert for the address on search engines.
  • Keep rent at the market price. A listing far below market is the bait scammers use, and yours may be used as the bait for a copy.

A copied listing is not your fault. Platforms vary in how fast they act, so keep reporting and keep your evidence.

What to tell a renter who thinks they were scammed

You are not their lawyer or bank, but a few lines help: the unit is not available at that price; you did not receive any money; they should contact their bank or payment app right away to try to stop or dispute the payment; and they should report to the FTC and IC3. The FTC says payments by wire transfer, gift card or cash app are hard to recover, and that renters should see a unit and the lease before paying.

Sources

  1. FTC, Avoid scams when you're looking for a place to rent, read Oct 30, 2026
  2. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), file a report, read Oct 30, 2026
  3. FTC, ReportFraud.ftc.gov, read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

Can I make the listing site take down a fake copy?
Report it through the site's scam or listing report option and say you own the property. Response times vary, so report each copy and keep a record.
Am I liable if someone loses money to a copy of my listing?
Generally the scammer is responsible for the fraud, but ask an attorney if a victim threatens a claim. Keep proof that you did not receive their money and that you reported the ad.
Should I stop posting photos online?
No, but watermark them, leave out the exact unit number if you can, and state in the ad how your process works.

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