How common are Craigslist rental scams?

Craigslist accounts for approximately 16% of all rental scams reported to the BBB. While this is lower than Facebook Marketplace (50%), Craigslist scams tend to be more sophisticated because the platform has been around longer and scammers have refined their techniques.

Can Craigslist track scammers?

Craigslist does not verify user identities and provides minimal tracking. Scammers can create unlimited anonymous accounts. This is why independent verification (reverse image search, county records, in-person viewing) is essential.

Should I avoid Craigslist for apartment hunting?

Craigslist can still be a useful tool for finding rentals, but you need to verify every listing independently. Never trust a listing at face value. Use the seven checks in this guide and always view the property in person before paying anything.

Is This Craigslist Rental a Scam? 7 Ways to Tell Instantly

Craigslist accounts for 16% of all rental scams in the US. Before you respond to that listing, run these seven checks.

Craigslist remains one of the most popular platforms for apartment hunting, but its anonymous, loosely moderated structure makes it a playground for scammers. According to the BBB Scam Tracker, Craigslist is the second-largest source of rental fraud after Facebook Marketplace.

The good news is that most Craigslist rental scams follow predictable patterns. Here are seven instant checks you can perform on any listing.

1. Reverse Image Search the Photos

This is the fastest way to catch a scammer. Right-click any photo in the listing, select "Search image with Google," and see if the same photos appear on other rental sites, real estate listings, or Airbnb pages. Scammers steal photos from legitimate listings and repost them.

Red flag: The photos appear on a different listing at a different address or price. This almost always means the Craigslist listing is fake.

2. Search the Listing Text in Quotes

Copy a unique sentence from the listing description and paste it into Google wrapped in quotation marks. Scammers often reuse the same text across dozens of fake listings in different cities.

Red flag: The exact same description appears on multiple Craigslist posts in different cities or on other platforms.

3. Compare the Price to Market Rate

If a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan is listed at $1,200/month, something is very wrong. Scammers deliberately price below market to attract as many victims as quickly as possible. Use our free scam checker to instantly compare any listing price against local averages.

Red flag: The listing is priced 30% or more below similar rentals in the same neighborhood.

4. Check Who Owns the Property

Every county in the US has a public assessor or recorder website where you can search property ownership by address. If the listing gives an address, look it up. The owner name should match the person you are communicating with.

Red flag: The owner on record is a completely different name, or the property is listed as owner-occupied (meaning the owner lives there and is not renting it out).

5. Watch for the "Out of Town" Script

One of the most common Craigslist rental scam scripts goes like this: the "landlord" tells you they are overseas, deployed military, on a mission trip, or traveling for work. They cannot show the property but will send you the keys if you wire a deposit.

Red flag: Any landlord who cannot or will not meet you in person at the property before you pay is almost certainly a scammer.

6. Never Wire Money or Pay with Gift Cards

Legitimate landlords accept personal checks, certified checks, or money orders. Requests for Western Union, MoneyGram, Bitcoin, gift cards, or even Zelle/Venmo as a deposit before you have viewed the property are hallmarks of a scam.

Red flag: Any request for irreversible payment methods before you have toured the property and signed a lease.

7. Use Google Street View

If the listing includes an address, drop into Google Street View and compare the building to the listing photos. Does the building match? Does the neighborhood match the description? Sometimes scammers use photos from luxury apartments but list an address in a completely different area.

Red flag: The Street View image shows a vacant lot, a commercial building, or a structure that looks nothing like the listing photos.

What to Do If You Find a Scam

If any of these checks fail, do not engage with the poster. Instead:

Flag the listing on Craigslist using the "prohibited" button
Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
Report to the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov
Warn others by posting in local housing groups or subreddits