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Phishing USA 2022

The Facebook Marketplace Rental Scam Ring

Scammers listed real properties they didn't own on Facebook, collecting deposits from desperate renters.

$190 million (total US rental scam losses, 2022)Total Losses
Tens of thousands nationallyVictims Affected
FBI IC3 2022 Report (composite case based on documented patterns)Source

Timeline: How It Unfolded

Typical setup

Scam rings copy photos and details from legitimate real estate listings on Zillow or Realtor.com, then re-list them on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist at below-market prices.

Ongoing

Interested renters message the "landlord." They receive professional-looking applications and are given virtual tours using publicly available property photos and Google Street View.

After "approval"

Victims are told they've been approved and must wire a deposit and first month's rent (typically $2,000-$5,000) to secure the property before others take it.

Moving day

Multiple families arrive at the same property with keys that don't work. The real owner has no idea their property was listed. The "landlord" has disappeared.

2022

The FBI warns of a spike in rental and real estate scams. IC3 reports total rental scam losses exceeding $190 million for the year.

How the Scam Worked

  • Scammers found vacant properties for rent on legitimate sites, then re-listed them on Facebook Marketplace at slightly below-market prices.
  • They created fake identities with professional-looking email addresses and even fake property management company websites.
  • Victims were pressured to pay quickly because "multiple applicants" were interested — creating artificial urgency.
  • Payments were requested via wire transfer or Zelle, which are extremely difficult to reverse.

Red Flags That Were Missed

The rent was below market rate — too good a deal
The "landlord" refused to meet in person or show the property in a live walkthrough
Payment was required before signing a proper lease agreement
Wire transfer or Zelle was the only accepted payment method
The landlord couldn't answer specific questions about the property or neighbourhood

What You Should Learn From This

Never send a rental deposit without physically visiting the property and meeting the landlord or their verified agent.
Search for the property address online — if it appears on multiple sites with different landlords, it's a scam.
Verify property ownership through your county's property records (often available online for free).
Legitimate landlords accept cheques or use established property management platforms — insistence on wire transfer is a red flag.
If the price seems too good for the area, it probably is.

Outcome

The FBI has arrested multiple rental scam rings across the US. Some victims received partial restitution through federal asset forfeiture. Most losses were never recovered. The FBI now issues annual warnings about rental scam spikes, particularly around peak moving seasons.