Renters under 30 are 3x more likely to lose money to a rental scam. Here is how to not be one of them.
Adults 18 to 29 are three times more likely than other adults to report losing money to a rental scam. Here is why, and the simple rules that keep your deposit in your pocket.
Adults 18 to 29 are three times more likely than other adults to report losing money to a rental scam. Most scams start with a fake listing and a request for money or personal documents before you see the apartment.
- →About half of reported rental scams started with a fake Facebook ad.
- →The median reported loss is $1,000.
- →Never pay before you have seen the place and confirmed who owns it.
If you are under 30 and looking for an apartment, you are the target.
Not in a vague way. In the numbers.
Adults 18 to 29 were 3x more likely than other adults to report losing money to a rental scam. That is from federal fraud reports covering July 2024 to June 2025.
Even more striking: of the reports in that period that said money was lost (and gave an age), 46% came from people 18 to 29. The next closest group, people in their 30s, was 23%.
Since 2020, people have reported almost 65,000 rental scams and about $65 million in losses. The median loss was $1,000.
And most scams never get reported at all. So the real number is bigger.
Why do rental scammers go after young renters?
Look at how we search.
We search on our phones.
We search in groups and on social feeds.
We move fast because good apartments go fast.
That is exactly where scammers set up. About half of people who reported a rental scam said it started with a fake ad on Facebook. Another 16% said it started on Craigslist.
Federal reports also point to Facebook groups that college students use to find sublets near campus.
Add a first apartment, a parent who is three states away, and a market where the median asking rent is $4,150, and you get a renter who is under pressure and short on experience.
Scammers love that combination.
How does a rental scam actually work?
Most of them follow the same playbook.
- They copy a real listing. Same photos, same description, new phone number. Sometimes the place is actually for sale, not for rent.
- They price it low. Low enough that you feel lucky, not suspicious.
- They rush you. Other people are interested. You need to hold it today.
- They ask for money before you see it. An application fee, a deposit or first month’s rent to “hold” the unit.
- Or they ask for your documents. Social Security number, a photo of your license, paystubs. Then they use them to steal your identity.
Some even set you up with a fake “self tour” using a lockbox code from a real listing, so it feels legit.
What they never do is meet you in person.
How do I avoid a rental scam in NYC?
Here is what I would tell any friend searching right now.
- See it first. In person, or a live video walkthrough with someone who can open every door. If they can’t show it to you, walk away.
- Search the address. If the same apartment shows up with a different price, a different contact, or as a sale listing, it is a scam.
- Know what the place should cost. If the rent is way under everything else in the neighborhood, there is a reason.
- Never pay by wire, gift card or crypto. Anyone who insists on those is running a scam. That money is basically cash. Once it is gone, it is gone.
- Know New York’s caps. Application and background check fees are capped at $20. A security deposit can be no more than 1 month’s rent. Someone asking for $300 to “apply” or two months to “hold” is telling you something.
- Know the FARE Act. If the agent works for the landlord, they cannot charge you a broker fee. A “broker fee to hold the unit” from the listing agent is a red flag on its own.
- Guard your Social Security number. Until you have agreed to rent the place, a landlord does not need it. And real landlords normally pull your credit themselves. They don’t send you a link to buy a report.
Slow down for one day.
A real landlord will still be there tomorrow.
A scammer won’t.
What should I do if I already paid?
Act fast.
Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Report it to local police and to the site where you found the listing. Contact your bank or payment app right away and ask if the payment can be stopped or reversed.
Then tell your friends what happened. Young renters get hit because we share listings with each other. We can share the warnings too.
Here is how I see it
Every scam on this list works because the renter has to prove everything, and the person on the other end has to prove nothing.
That is backwards.
On Nessoo, renters verify their income and identity once, upfront, and get matched directly to units that fit their budget. You are not sending your paystubs to a stranger from a Facebook ad.
But even without any platform, the rules above will protect you.
See it.
Check it.
Never pay first.
“If they won't show you the apartment, they don't have an apartment.”
Frequently asked questions
Are young renters more likely to be scammed?
Yes. Federal fraud reports show adults 18 to 29 were three times more likely than other adults to report losing money to a rental scam, based on reports from July 2024 to June 2025.
Where do most rental scams start?
About half of people who reported a rental scam in the 12 months ending June 2025 said it started with a fake ad on Facebook. Another 16% said it started on Craigslist.
How much can a NYC landlord charge for an application?
New York caps application and background check fees at $20. If someone asks for much more just to apply, treat it as a red flag.
What payment methods do rental scammers ask for?
Wire transfers, gift cards and cryptocurrency. Federal guidance says anyone who insists on those is running a scam, and once you send that money you probably can't get it back.
Einhorn, Gabe. “Renters under 30 are 3x more likely to lose money to a rental scam. Here is how to not be one of them.” Nessoo Report, Nessoo (nessoo.com), Oct 16, 2026.
Co-founder of Nessoo, the verify-first rental marketplace in New York. He writes every Nessoo Report. nessoo.com
Sources
- FTC Data Spotlight, "Rental scams hit home with $65 million in reported losses," December 2025
- FTC Consumer Advice, "Rental Listing Scams"
- NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, FARE Act FAQ
- NY General Obligations Law 7-108 and Real Property Law 238-a (Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019): deposit and application fee caps
- Nessoo platform data, October 2026