Spotting a Home Sharing Scam

Here is an example. A home seeker finds a lovely room at a low price. The home provider says she is caring for a relative out of state, cannot show the room, and needs a deposit by gift card today to hold it, because "three other people are interested." Every part of that message is a warning sign.

Scams can target both sides of a home share, and they rely on urgency and good manners. It is not rude to slow down, ask questions, or stop replying. This guide covers scams during the search. Our guide "Protecting your money while you share your home" covers financial safeguards once someone has moved in.

Common scams during the search

Fake listings. Scammers copy real photos and addresses, then offer the room at a price below the going rate. The "owner" is out of the country or too busy to show it.

Money before meeting. A request from an individual you have not verified to pay a deposit, application fee, or "holding fee" before you have met, seen the home, and signed an agreement. Payment by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, or a payment app is a strong red flag, because once the money is gone, you probably cannot get it back¹.

A legitimate program or platform that charges a disclosed fee before anyone is matched, such as registration, screening, or a background check fee, is different. The FTC describes application and background check fees as part of screening². Confirm the fee on the organization's own website, and pay the organization, not a person.

Overpayment and fake checks. This one often targets home providers. Someone sends a check for more than the rent or deposit, then asks you to send back the difference. The check later turns out to be fake, and you owe the bank. It can take weeks for a bank to discover a fake check, even after the money appears in your account³.

Someone who will not meet in any verifiable way. They are always traveling, cannot show the home, or a relative will handle everything, and every plan to meet in person, through a program, or with a trusted person present falls through. Difficulty with video calls is not a warning sign; plenty of people prefer the phone, and a video call does not prove who someone is anyway.

Pressure and urgency. "Decide today." "Other people are interested." "I need an answer before my flight." A real match can wait a day while you think.

Phishing for personal information. Requests for your Social Security number, a photo of your ID, bank details, or a code sent to your phone, often dressed up as a "background check" or "verification" through a link someone sends you.

Quick checks before you trust a listing or a person

• Search the photos. A reverse image search lets you search with a photo instead of words, to see where else it appears online. If the same room shows up under other names or in other cities, be cautious. Google explains the steps for computers and phones in Search with an image on Google.
• Look up who owns the home. County property records are often public and show the recorded owner. A matching name does not prove the person you are talking with is authorized to offer the room, and a different name is not proof of a scam, so ask how they are connected to the home.
• Search the name, email, and phone number along with the word "scam."
• Ask to see the room, in person with a trusted person along, or by live video walk-through at a time you choose if you are both comfortable with video.
• Meet in person in a public place before anyone visits a home or pays anything.
• If you use a program or platform, use its official contact information, found on its website, not a link or number someone sends you.
• Pay the other person nothing until you have met, seen the home, and signed an agreement. Then pay by check or a traceable transfer, and get a receipt.

Protecting your documents and personal information

• Do not send your Social Security number, bank details, or a photo of your ID by email or text. For a legitimate background check, you enter your own details on the check company's secure site, after you have confirmed that site through your program or platform's official website.
• Never share a verification code, password, or PIN. No real program or match needs them.
• Be careful with security question answers such as your birthday, a pet's name, or your grandchildren's names, which can turn up in friendly conversation.
• Put important papers away before any visit, including your checkbook, Social Security card, passport, and financial statements, and keep them locked up once someone moves in.
• Keep a record of messages, listings, and payments until the match is settled.

If you think it is a scam

1. Stop replying and do not send more money. You do not owe an explanation.
2. Call your bank or payment app right away. Acting quickly may help.
3. Report it to the website where you found the listing, your home sharing program if you use one, and the agencies listed below.
4. If you shared personal information, IdentityTheft.gov, run by the Federal Trade Commission, has step-by-step recovery plans.

Being targeted by a scam is not a sign of poor judgment. Scammers are skilled, and reporting helps protect the next person.

Conversation starters

If you are an adult child or friend talking with an older adult:

• "If anyone asks for money before you meet, will you call me first?"
• "Want to look up that listing's photos together?"
• "If a message ever feels off, will you forward it to me before you answer?"

If you are an older adult talking with family or caregivers:

• "Someone asked me for a deposit before we have met. Can you look at this with me?"
• "I'm not sharing my Social Security number with anyone I've only messaged."
• "Can you help me look up who owns this house?"

It is not rude to slow down, ask questions, or stop replying.

Last reviewed September 25, 2026