Rental scams
What's the safest way to pay a security deposit and first month's rent?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Pay after you've toured and signed the lease, using a method that leaves a record of who received the money: a check or cashier's check made out to the management company or verified owner, or a card or bank payment through the landlord's official portal. Always get a written receipt showing what the payment covers.
A check names the payee and leaves a paper trail. Credit cards give you dispute rights if something goes wrong, though some portals add a fee for card payments. Established property managers usually collect rent through an online portal you reach from their official website, not from a link someone texted you.
Avoid these for a first payment to anyone you haven't verified:
- Cash with no written receipt.
- Wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or money orders mailed to someone you haven't met.
- Payment apps sending money to a personal account.
- Payment links sent by message that look like a rental site or booking page. Scammers build convincing copies, so go to the real site yourself.
Ask for a receipt that shows the amount, the date, the address and what it's for (deposit, first month, last month, fees). Keep it with your signed lease. Deposit rules, such as where the money must be held and when it must be returned, vary by state and city, and that receipt is your proof of what you paid.
Want the whole picture? Read How To Avoid Housing Scams.