For Rent by Owner Alert – Deceptive Phone Calls

Apartments.com has received reports of a telephone phishing scam where the scammer is able to display a number on caller ID to have come from Apartments.com when in fact it has not. In the scam, customers are asked for their credit card information. The scammer may falsely claim, for example, that there has been a billing problem and their credit card number is needed.

Apartments.com will NEVER call you regarding payment information. You should never give credit card or payment information over the phone when you receive a call. However, you should feel secure in contacting us directly to resolve any billing matters.

If you suspect a phishing attempt, you should hang up and call Apartments.com at 877- 807-2676 to verify the call. If you accidentally provided a credit card number to the caller please call your credit card company immediately. You may also wish to call your local law enforcement and file a complaint with the FCC at: http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm.

Consumer Alert – Fraudulent Apartments.com Emails

Recently Apartments.com has received reports of emails appearing to be sent by us stating that we have a “purchase protection” or “escrow” service to facilitate leasing transactions.

These emails are fraudulent! Sending any money in response to these emails will almost always result in your losing all of it. The best thing to do if you receive one of these emails is to delete it and not reply to the sender. Under no circumstances should you ever wire money without meeting the landlord in person and physically inspecting the apartment and lease documentation.

Apartments.com does not have any sort of escrow or payment protection program nor do we participate in the transaction in any way. Apartments.com never processes rents, deposits, or lease transactions directly. All transactions are between you and the landlord. Any email or individual stating otherwise is attempting to scam you.

You may encounter one of these fraudulent emails after responding to an ad on Craigslist, Apartments.com, Rent.com, or other online rental listing services. Typically, the apartments are advertised at significantly below market values in order to garner interest. Remember, if the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Below are some items to watch for in recognizing scams:

  1. The contact may be unavailable to speak via phone and residing in or visiting another country
  2. They’re unable to meet face-to-face before completing the transaction but will request payment (deposit, etc.) of some sort
  3. The use of Western Union, MoneyGram, money order, escrow service or some other payment process is offered

See below for an example email. Note that the actual appearance of the email may change, but the fact remains: Apartments.com does NOT participate in collecting rent payments or deposits, nor do we guarantee any transaction.

For more information, see our fraud alert.

If you have any questions, please write to us at feedback@apartments.com. To report the fraudulent email, please file a report at the Internet Crime Complaint Center.


Sample Fraudulent Email