Rental Scams on RentFaster
RentFaster is a Canadian rental listing platform headquartered in Calgary, primarily serving Alberta and expanding across other provinces. The platform offers both free and paid listing tiers for landlords. While smaller than Kijiji, RentFaster's focus on rentals means it attracts a dedicated audience, but also dedicated scammers.
Common Scam Types on RentFaster
Fake Landlord Listings
Scammers create accounts on RentFaster and list properties they do not own, often using photos from real estate listings. They collect e-Transfer deposits from multiple victims for the same non-existent rental before the account is flagged.
Too-Good-to-Be-True Pricing
In Alberta's competitive rental market, scammers post listings significantly below market rate to attract desperate renters. The listing may target newcomers or students unfamiliar with local pricing, who rush to secure the seemingly great deal.
Application Fee Scams
Fake landlords charge non-refundable application or credit check fees before any viewing or verification. They collect fees from many applicants for a listing that was never real, profiting from the application process itself.
Pet-Friendly Listing Scams
In markets where pet-friendly rentals are scarce, scammers specifically target pet owners by listing pet-friendly properties at competitive prices. Pet owners, frustrated by limited options, may act too quickly and pay deposits without proper verification.
How RentFaster's Verification and Moderation Actually Work
RentFaster runs a one-time landlord identity check through its partner Persona. Once at least one user linked to an account completes it, that account's listings can display a verified badge; if no one on the account is verified, no badge appears. Treat the badge as a signal that a real person passed an ID check behind the account, not as a guarantee that the specific unit, price, or availability in the ad is genuine.
Moderation depends on account age. Listings from brand-new accounts are held for an admin review that can take up to one business day before going live, while listings from established accounts publish immediately. This means a fraudster who compromises or reuses an older account can post instantly with no human pre-screen, so the presence of a listing on the site is not itself proof it was reviewed.
RentFaster itself warns about a stolen-listing pattern: scammers copy a genuine ad from RentFaster or a real-estate site, swap in their own contact details, and often drop the rent well below market to draw inquiries. Because the underlying photos and address are real, these clones can look convincing until you try to verify the person you are actually talking to.
What to Do When You Spot a Suspicious Listing
Use the platform's own tool first. Each listing has a Report Listing button that opens a form; submit it with the listing URL and a short note on why it looks fraudulent (for example, a duplicate you have seen elsewhere, a refusal to show the unit, or a request to wire money). You do not need to be a victim to flag an ad, and reporting early can get it pulled before someone else pays.
Before sending any money or application, confirm you are dealing with the real owner or an authorized agent. Ask to view the unit in person or by live video, cross-check the address and photos against other sites to see if the same images appear under different names or prices, and be wary of anyone who insists on e-transfer or gift-card payment without a viewing or a signed lease.
If you have already lost money or shared financial details, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 and to your local police, in addition to reporting the listing to RentFaster. Notify your bank or e-transfer provider immediately, since some transfers can be recalled if flagged quickly.
What RentFaster Protects You From, and What It Doesn't
Identity verification and admin review of new accounts reduce the number of throwaway fake profiles and give RentFaster a way to remove reported listings, which is real protection against the crudest scams. The verified badge tells you an account holder passed an ID check, and the reporting flow gives the platform a mechanism to take bad ads down.
What it does not do is guarantee a transaction. RentFaster is a listing marketplace, not an escrow or payment service: it does not hold your deposit, vet whether a badged landlord actually controls a given unit, or reimburse money sent off-platform. Once you move to email, text, or e-transfer with a poster, you are outside anything the site can monitor or reverse. The safest posture is to treat every listing as unverified until you have independently confirmed the person, the property, and the price.
Safety Tips for RentFaster
- ✓View the property in person before sending any money, including application fees.
- ✓Verify property ownership through Alberta Land Titles or the relevant provincial registry.
- ✓Be cautious of listings priced far below comparable units in the same area.
- ✓Ask for the landlord's government-issued ID and verify it matches ownership records.
- ✓Never send Interac e-Transfers to someone you have not met in person at the property.
How to Report Scams on RentFaster
Contact RentFaster's support team to report suspicious listings. File a report with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for any financial losses.
Report a Scam →RentFaster Scam Risk Level
Medium RiskRentFaster is rated as medium risk for rental scams. While the platform has some verification measures, scammers still find ways to exploit the system. Always verify listings and landlords independently before paying anything.
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