Boston's brutal rental market—high prices, low inventory, September 1st chaos—creates perfect conditions for scammers. When renters are desperate, they make mistakes. Here's how to protect yourself.
The Golden Rule
Never send money before seeing the apartment in person and verifying the landlord owns or manages the property.
Red Flags to Watch For
Warning Signs
- Price is too good to be true
A $1,500 studio in Back Bay? That doesn't exist. Scammers use low prices as bait.
- Can't show the apartment
"I'm out of town," "just send deposit to hold it," "the keys will be mailed."
- Asks for wire transfer, cash, or gift cards
These are untraceable. Legitimate landlords take checks or secure payments.
- Pressure to act immediately
"Someone else is coming to see it today!" Urgency is a manipulation tactic.
- Won't provide ID or contact info
A real landlord has a phone number, email, and legal name.
- Generic or stolen photos
Reverse image search listing photos. Scammers steal real listing photos.
- Poor grammar, weird phrasing
Many scams originate overseas. Bad English can be a sign.
Common Boston Rental Scams
The "Out of Town" Landlord
Scammer claims they're traveling, on mission work, or relocated. They can't show the apartment but will mail you the keys once you wire money. The apartment either doesn't exist, or they don't own it.
The Cloned Listing
Scammer copies a real listing from a broker or landlord and reposts it at a lower price with their own contact info. You think you're dealing with the real listing. Always verify who actually owns or manages a property.
The Open House Cash Grab
Fake landlord holds an "open house" at an apartment they don't own (sometimes an Airbnb or a temporarily vacant unit). They collect deposits from multiple people. None of them actually get the apartment.
The Bait and Switch
Listing shows a great apartment at a great price. When you arrive, they tell you that one is rented but they have "something similar" for more money. Sometimes this is just aggressive sales; sometimes it's outright fraud.
The September Rush Scam
Boston-specific: Around August, desperate renters trying to find Sept 1 apartments are extra vulnerable. Scammers know this and ramp up activity during summer.
How to Verify a Listing
Verification Checklist
- Check property ownership
Use Boston's Property Assessing database to see who owns the building.
- Reverse image search photos
Drop photos into Google Images or TinEye. If they appear on other listings, it's a scam.
- Visit in person before paying
Never pay without physically seeing the apartment. Walk through it.
- Meet in a normal business setting
Legitimate landlords have offices or will meet at the property. Never meet in strange locations.
- Google the landlord/company name
Search "[name] + scam" or "[name] + review" to see what comes up.
- Research the building on StreetSmart
Search the address to verify it's a real building with public records.
Safe Payment Practices
Safe Payment Methods
- Personal check (creates paper trail, can be stopped)
- Certified or cashier's check (traceable)
- Credit card through established platforms
- Bank transfer (only to verified accounts)
Never Pay With
- Wire transfers (Western Union, MoneyGram)
- Gift cards (iTunes, Amazon, etc.)
- Cash (before signing and receiving keys)
- Cryptocurrency
- Venmo/PayPal to strangers
What to Do If You've Been Scammed
- Stop all communication and payment — Don't send more money hoping to get the first payment back.
- Document everything — Save emails, texts, listing screenshots, payment confirmations.
- File a police report — Contact Boston Police or your local department.
- Report to the FTC — reportfraud.ftc.gov
- Report the listing — Flag it on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or wherever you found it.
- Contact your bank — If you paid via credit card or bank transfer, they may be able to help.
Who to Contact
- Boston Police (non-emergency)(617) 343-4633
- Mass Attorney General Consumer Line(617) 727-8400
- FTC Report Fraudreportfraud.ftc.gov