How To Tell If a Rental Is a Scam: Spot, Avoid, And Report Rental Scams

This guide is for newcomers and renters searching Canadian housing listings.
It explains common rental scams, how to tell if a rental is a scam, and steps to report fraud.
Read short, practical checks to avoid identity theft, roommate scams, and rental fraud, especially if you’re also navigating other newcomer priorities like schooling in Canada for your children.

Key takeaways

• Rental scams usually target your money or your sensitive personal information.
• There is a wide range of rental scams, ranging from unethical landlords trying to have you overpay for a property to fake ads from criminals who want to steal your money or personal information. Being informed is your best defence.
• Using trusted platforms, like Rentals.ca, or property managers can help to reduce your risk of falling victim to a rental scam.

What is a rental scam?

A rental scam is any scheme that uses a non-existent or misrepresented rental property to trick someone into paying money or providing personal information. They often involve fake or misleading rental listings, hidden fees, forged documents, and false promises (more on common types of rental scams below).

How common are rental scams in Canada?

It’s tricky to know exactly how common any type of scam is in Canada, since victims often don’t come forward. But housing scams, including rental fraud, are impacting people every day.

The Toronto Star reported that Toronto Police received over 380 reports of rental scams in 2024, indicating that it’s relatively common. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and multiple other law enforcement agencies and government departments have all issued warnings about rental scams, again highlighting that it’s a very real risk in Canada’s housing market.

Types of Rental Scams and Fake Listing Examples

1. Fake Listings: Scammers post ads with photos of real homes they don’t own, often stealing photos from legitimate listings.
2. Phantom Rentals: Crooks advertise units that don’t exist. They demand money before you even see the home.
3. Roommate Scams: Someone poses as a current tenant looking for a roommate to share a legitimately-rented unit. They collect a deposit or first month’s rent from you, then disappear — leaving you with no room and no recourse.
4. Hijacked Listings: Scammers copy real ads and repost them with their own email or phone number. They collect deposits by pretending the property is theirs.
5. Identity Theft: They ask for your Social Insurance Number or banking info for a “credit check.” They use that data to steal from you.
6. Fake Keys: They give you keys to a home they don’t own (often it’s an AirBNB) or they say they’re overseas and they’ll send keys once you send a wire transfer. By the time you learn the keys aren’t theirs or that the keys aren’t being sent by mail, they’ve disappeared with your money.
7. Phishing Emails: They send official-looking messages to get personal details. They claim it’s for rental paperwork, but it’s really a trick.
8. Bait and Switch Rentals: These listings often state that they include utilities or amenities that aren’t included to attract premium rent prices for a subpar rental.

Red Flags: Signs You May be Dealing With a Rental Scam

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is’. Here are some signs that you may be dealing with a scammer:

• The advertised rent is below market rate – especially if it’s in a popular neighbourhood.
• You aren’t allowed to view the property in person, or the ‘landlord’ is always unavailable for viewings (especially if they say they’re overseas).
• Proprtty mnager or landord is not available to meet. Scammers will find excuses to avoid meeting you even if it is through a phone or video call. If the person listing the rental is unwilling to meet, this is likely a bad sign.
• You’re pressured to make a deposit immediately. Scammers often create urgency to get you to send money quickly — don’t.
• They ask for upfront fees before you’ve signed anything. Requests for money to ‘hold your spot’ or upfront security deposits are not legitimate until the lease is signed.
• They offer untraceable payment methods, like cryptocurrency or gift cards. To collect the fee and the upcoming rent payments.
• The landlord demands that you provide your Social Insurance Number or other sensitive personal data.
• No written lease is provided or offered before payment is requested..
• The landlord can’t provide references or proof of ownership.
• Keys will only be provided by mail after you pay a deposit.
• The property is listed on multiple sites with different prices or contact details.
• The lease provided lists the landlord’s address as the property being rented (unless they are renting part of their home, ie. A basement suite).

It’s also helpful to ask the landlord for identification. They have no obligation to provide it, but most landlords are happy to verify their identity if they’re legitimate. Note that this serves more as an orange flag than a red one.

Tips For Avoiding Rental Scams in Canada

Okay – now you know what to look for in a rental scam, but what if there are no red flags? We know rental scams are getting more sophisticated, so we’re sharing some more advanced tips for weeding out those highly complex scams:

Tip #1. Research the property, landlord or property management company

Always verify the legitimacy of the rental property before making any payments.

Here’s what to do:

• Before you offer to view the property, search the property address to make sure the details listed on Google Maps match those in the listing.
• Conduct a reverse image search to see where else the property is listed. Check those sites to see if the details match. Use Google Reverse Image Search on property photos to see if they appear in different cities or are listed for sale.
• Research the landlord or agency, including searching for their names and seeing if you can find social media profiles for them. Meet the landlord in person before signing any agreements or sending payments.
• Request a written lease that identifies the owner or property management company. Legitimate landlords will provide a formal lease agreement before asking for any money.
• Check property tax or land registry records to confirm the person renting the property matches the name listed on official records. There are often fees for doing this, however.
• Ask to speak to the current tenants or for references from your landlord. Your landlord does not have to provide these, but many will.

Tip #2. Learn your region’s rental laws

Canada’s rental market has a lot of rules, and landlords can lose their rights if they don’t follow them (as can tenants). One way you can avoid a rental scam is to know your local rules, and to call the landlord out if they violate them.

Here are two examples from two of Canada’s biggest rental markets, and if you’re considering Quebec, it can also help to research Montreal neighbourhoods and their rental markets:

• In Ontario, landlords can ask for a security deposit of up to one month’s rent, and many will also ask for the first month’s rent when the tenant moves in (often called first and last month’s rent). If they ask for more – that’s a red flag. Asking for key deposits and other fees comes with rules in Ontario, so if a landlord is asking for fees for moving in, that can be a red flag or against the rules. Learn them to protect yourself!
• In British Columbia, a landlord may only ask for half of one month’s rent for a security deposit (unless you have pets, in which case you may be asked to pay an additional half month’s rent). Application deposits are illegal in BC.

Use your local property assessment website to confirm the true property owner and compare it with the person you are communicating with. This kind of due diligence is easier when you’ve followed a structured moving to Canada preparation checklist so you know which documents and records to keep handy.

Tip #3. Submit your own credit check instead of providing sensitive personal information

Your landlord may ask for more sensitive personal information, like your Social Insurance Number, but you aren’t obliged to provide it in many instances. They can complete a credit check without your SIN or banking details, but handing those details over might leave you vulnerable to identity theft. You’re within your rights to learn what personal information you must provide in your province or territory and to only provide that information.

Another option is to provide your own credit check. You can ask whether the landlord will accept a credit check you provide, and you can request yours for free from the credit check providers (Equifax and TransUnion) directly or through a free credit platform such as Borrowell.

Tip #4. Protect Your Personal Data to Prevent Identity Theft

Even when a listing looks legitimate, sharing too much personal information too soon is a risk. Scammers sometimes pose as real landlords specifically to collect your data — not your rent.

Before you’ve confirmed the landlord is who they say they are, keep shared information to a minimum. Your name, general location, and move-in timeline are reasonable early on. Your SIN, banking details, and government-issued ID are not — at least not before you’ve verified the landlord’s identity and confirmed the property is real.

If a landlord asks for ID documents, hold off until you’ve met them in person or verified them through a trusted platform. Sending photos of government ID over email or messaging apps before that step is an unnecessary risk.

If you do need to provide documents, redact anything that isn’t required. Free tools like Adobe Acrobat, Smallpdf, or your phone’s photo editor can black out sensitive fields before you send anything.

Tip #5. Use a safe rental platform instead of online classifieds

Online classifieds, like Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace, do not require landlords to verify their identity before posting. This protects criminals and poses a risk to those looking to rent a home safely in Canada.

The challenge is that these online classifieds sites are often seen as more convenient or a cheaper option, and there may be some truth to that. Renting through a property management company comes with fees either for the tenant or the landlord (though if the landlord pays them, they will be passed onto the tenant through higher rents).

Which Platforms are Safest for Housing Searches?

If you’re looking for an online rental platform that offers relatively safe search options for prospective renters, look for a platform that:

• Verifies the landlord’s identity by requiring identification checks.
• Ideally, the platform you choose should also ask for a biometric verification of the landlord to make sure that the photo ID matches and that the landlord is a real user (not a victim of identity theft).
• Continuous monitoring for suspicious activities or changes.

Rentals.ca offers all this – and more. It also pulls listing details from Canada’s MLS to showcase a broad range of listings from a variety of reputable sources.

Moving2Canada has partnered with Rentals.ca to bring information about available rental properties in Canada to newcomers like you! If you’re looking for anything from a one-bedroom condo in downtown Toronto to a family home in rural Saskatchewan, Rentals.ca has you covered.

Plus, the Rentals.ca website is packed with helpful information for renters. It covers everything from Rental Budgeting 101 to a monthly rental report that shares insights about average property prices (so you can learn when a property you see online might be priced a little too low).

Find your new home in Canada with Rentals.ca!

What To Do If A Rental Scam Happens To You

If you suspect you’ve been targeted, act quickly — the sooner you respond, the better your chances of limiting the damage.

1. Stop all communication with the suspected scammer immediately. Don’t send additional money, documents, or personal information, even if they claim there’s a way to recover what you’ve already lost.
2. If you’ve shared banking information or made a payment, contact your bank right away. They can flag your account, reverse transactions where possible, and help you secure your bank account or cancel compromised accounts, which may also involve reviewing any travel or health insurance coverage for your stay in Canada if your documents were exposed.
3. Before anything else, save every piece of communication related to the listing — emails, texts, screenshots, payment receipts, and any documents you were sent or signed. This record will be essential if you file a report.

How To Report Rental Scams And Fake Listings

Reporting a rental scam can help protect others — and sometimes leads to real investigations.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) is the primary national body for reporting fraud in Canada. Submit a report at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501. Even if you weren’t financially harmed, reporting helps the CAFC track patterns and issue warnings.

File a report with your local police as well, especially if you lost money or your personal information was compromised. Ask for a copy of your report number — you may need it when dealing with your bank.

Report it directly on the listing site

If you spot a suspicious ad, report it on the platform where it’s posted — Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or wherever you found it. Look for a “report this ad” or “flag” option on the listing itself. You don’t need to be a victim to flag something that looks off.

Getting it taken down quickly ensures no one else falls for the same scam.

For a safer starting point, verified platforms like Rentals.ca require landlords to confirm their identity before posting, reducing the likelihood of encountering fraudulent listings.

Common Challenges Newcomers Face And Practical Fixes

Newcomers to Canada may face challenges in navigating the rental market due to unfamiliarity with local practices and regulations.. Many are also juggling work, visas, housing, and other logistics at once, so having centralized tools and resources for moving to Canada can make it easier to stay organized and avoid risky shortcuts.

1. Viewing a property from abroad: If you can’t view a property in person, ask a trusted contact — a friend, family member, or relocation agent — to view it on your behalf. Never pay a deposit on a property no one you trust has physically seen.
2. No Canadian credit history: Come prepared with alternatives: a recent bank statement, a job offer letter, or a reference from a previous landlord. Some landlords will also accept a larger upfront deposit within your province’s legal limits. If your immigration status or documentation is still in process, working with a trusted Canadian immigration consultant can also help you understand what proof of status you can provide to potential landlords.
3. Unfamiliarity with the local market: Not knowing fair market rent makes it harder to spot suspicious pricing. Check average prices in your target city using tools like the Rentals.ca monthly rental report before you start your search.

If navigating the market feels overwhelming, working with a property manager or verified property management company is worth considering. — They operate under provincial licensing requirements, which significantly reduces your risk.

Rental Scams in Canada FAQs

What are common rental scammer phrases?

Common phrases used by rental scammers include “I’m currently overseas but I’ll mail you the keys,” “God will bless you for trusting me,” “I need a deposit to hold the unit for you,” and “I’ve had too many time-wasters, so payment comes before viewing.” Any message that creates urgency, discourages in-person meetings, or asks for payment before you’ve signed a lease or seen the property should raise a red flag.

How can you tell if someone is a rental scammer?

A rental scammer will typically avoid meeting in person or on a video call, pressure you to pay a deposit quickly, and offer payment methods that are hard to trace — like wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. The listing will often seem too good to be true: a well-appointed unit in a desirable area priced well below market rate. If the landlord can’t provide proof of ownership, refuses to let you view the property, or asks for your SIN or banking details before you’ve signed anything, treat it as a serious warning sign.