$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
campus apartment deposit scam
Scammers list fake apartments near college campuses at below-market rates and collect security deposits and first-month rent from multiple students for properties they do not own.
“student scam”
↑ 271%Key indicators
Usually targetsCollege students
Often hitsTech workers and developers
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$960
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers copy real apartment listings and repost them on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or student housing groups at attractively low prices.
2
They communicate only by email or text, claim to be out of town, and pressure students to send a deposit immediately to secure the unit.
3
Multiple students may pay deposits for the same nonexistent listing, and the scammer disappears once payments are collected.
What to do first
Never send money for a rental you have not physically visited or verified through the property management company.
Related terms
fake campus housingstudent rental scamcollege apartment fraudStudent-targeted scamsWebsiteRisingCollege studentsTech workers and developersReal estate professionals and homebuyersEducators and studentsUnited StatesCanadaUnited Kingdomfake campus housingstudent rental scam
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Sarah, 21, a college students, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate student-targeted scams situation while using Website. Scammers copy real apartment listings and repost them on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or student housing groups at attractively low prices.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: They communicate only by email or text, claim to be out of town, and pressure students to send a deposit immediately to secure the unit.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Multiple students may pay deposits for the same nonexistent listing, and the scammer disappears once payments are collected.
The outcome
Sarah realized something was wrong when listing price is significantly below market rate for the area near campus. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Never send money for a rental you have not physically visited or verified through the property management company. Sarah's experience shows why listing price is significantly below market rate for the area near campus and landlord refuses to show the apartment in person or meet face to face are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Listing price is significantly below market rate for the area near campus
- Landlord refuses to show the apartment in person or meet face to face
- Deposit must be wired or sent via payment app before signing a lease
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Never send money for a rental you have not physically visited or verified through the property management company.
- ✓Search the listing address on Google Maps and verify ownership through county property records.
- ✓Report rental scams to the platform where the listing appeared, local police, and the FTC.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- Apartment List reported that 5.2 million renters lost money to rental scams in 2023, with college-age renters disproportionately affected.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Never send money for a rental you have not physically visited or verified through the property management company.
- ✓Search the listing address on Google Maps and verify ownership through county property records.
- ✓Report rental scams to the platform where the listing appeared, local police, and the FTC.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
Apartment List reported that 5.2 million renters lost money to rental scams in 2023, with college-age renters disproportionately affected.
Apartment List Rental Scam Report 2024
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
College students
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada, United Kingdom
Primary channel
Website — Student-targeted scams
Why this group is vulnerable
College students are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The growing number of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- Apartment List reported that 5.2 million renters lost money to rental scams in 2023, with college-age renters disproportionately affected.
Source notes
- Apartment List Rental Scam Report 2024
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about campus apartment deposit scam
How does the campus apartment deposit scam work?+
Scammers copy real apartment listings and repost them on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or student housing groups at attractively low prices. They communicate only by email or text, claim to be out of town, and pressure students to send a deposit immediately to secure the unit. Multiple students may pay deposits for the same nonexistent listing, and the scammer disappears once payments are collected.
What are the warning signs of campus apartment deposit scam?+
Listing price is significantly below market rate for the area near campus Landlord refuses to show the apartment in person or meet face to face Deposit must be wired or sent via payment app before signing a lease
What should I do if I encounter campus apartment deposit scam?+
Never send money for a rental you have not physically visited or verified through the property management company. Search the listing address on Google Maps and verify ownership through county property records. Report rental scams to the platform where the listing appeared, local police, and the FTC.
Who is most at risk for campus apartment deposit scam?+
This scam primarily targets College students. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada, United Kingdom and typically appears on Website.
Is campus apartment deposit scam on the rise?+
campus apartment deposit scam is currently on the rise with growing reports. It has been reported across US, CA, UK. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.
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