With UK rental competition fierce in many cities, scammers list properties — sometimes copied from genuine listings, sometimes entirely fictional — and pressure renters into paying a deposit or first month's rent before ever viewing the property in person.
A "landlord" who is conveniently abroad or unavailable to meet lists an attractive, often suspiciously cheap property, and asks for a deposit to "hold" it before you can view. Once paid, the landlord disappears, or the real occupant discovers the fraud when you arrive to move in.
Always view a property in person, or via live video call where you can ask the person to show ID matching the landlord/agent name.
Search the property address online — a search of the exact listing photos can sometimes reveal the same images used in other genuine (unrelated) listings.
Only pay a deposit through a recognised deposit protection scheme, never directly to a personal bank account before signing a tenancy agreement.
If you've been scammed, report it to your bank immediately and to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk. Report the fake listing to the platform it appeared on.
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