Every semester, students lose deposits — sometimes months of rent — to housing scams. They're not sophisticated. They rely on urgency ("someone else is about to take it") and payment methods you can't reverse. Here's how to spot them.
The 7 red flags
- 1
Rent is dramatically below market. A $700 sublet in a $1,600 building isn't a deal
it's bait.
- 2
They can't (or won't) show it live. "I'm out of the country, my cousin will hand off the keys." No. Get a live video walkthrough where they're in the unit, or don't send money.
- 3
Payment via Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, gift cards, or crypto only. These are irreversible. Real subletters take a normal transfer with a paper trail.
- 4
Photos look too polished (or you've seen them before). Reverse-image-search the listing photos
scammers steal from Zillow, Apartments.com, and old listings.
- 5
They rush you. "I have three other people ready, decide today." Any legit person will let you take 24 hours to verify.
- 6
Their story doesn't hold up. Ask which unit number, which floor, which entrance code, which management company. Scammers can't answer confidently.
- 7
They ask for a deposit before a lease/sublet is signed. No signed one-pager, no money.
The 3 checks that catch almost everything
- Live video tour where they walk through the unit right now and open a door on request ("show me inside the fridge").
- Verify identity + affiliation. On Subtoo, every account is verified to a real student or vouched-for member — that's the whole point of the platform. Off-platform, ask for a school email and a photo ID that matches.
- Google the address + the person's name. Old scam posts often reuse the exact same address.
Payment safety
- Use a payment method with buyer protection (Zelle and Venmo do NOT have it).
- Never pay before signing.
- Never pay a deposit and first month before the walkthrough.
- Keep every message in writing — moving a conversation to text or WhatsApp is fine, but don't agree to anything only on a call.
Good to know
Subtoo exists because peer-to-peer beats sketchy Facebook groups — every account is verified before they can message or post, so you're talking to real students.
If you've already been scammed
- File a police report (needed for any insurance / bank dispute).
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- If you paid with a credit card, dispute immediately.
- Warn your school's off-campus housing office so they can flag the listing.