Scammers offering cheap military housing deals—asking for money upfront
First reported July 2026.
Scammers sometimes post fake rental listings or contact military families directly with housing deals that sound too good to be true—low prices, quick availability, perfect location. Then they ask for a deposit or first month's rent before you see the place or meet the landlord in person. Once you send money, they disappear. Here's how to spot this scam.
Fake example
“'We have a 3-bedroom near the base for $800/month. Send a deposit of $1,500 today and the keys are yours. No time for a tour—we have other interested renters.' — message from fake-housing-rentals.example”
A typical fake rental listing message.
How to tell
They rush you to pay before you've seen the house in person or signed a real lease.
The price is much lower than other rentals in the same area.
They refuse a video tour, in-person meeting, or won't let you sign a lease first.
They contact you out of the blue with a 'perfect' rental that matches exactly what you need.
They ask you to send money through wire transfer, gift card, or payment app instead of a check to a landlord.
What to do
1Contact whoever you paid through right away — your bank, the gift-card company, or the app you used — and say it was a scam.
2For a gift card, keep the card and the receipt and call the number on the back of the card to report it.
3The sooner you report it, the better the chance of stopping or getting some of it back.
If you already did this
Some payments can be stopped or reversed if you act fast, so make the calls now rather than waiting.
Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov — it helps, and it is free.
Do not be embarrassed, and do not keep it to yourself. These are built to fool careful people. Acting quickly matters far more than how it happened.
Worth remembering: Real landlords use official rental websites, let you tour and meet them first, and never ask for money before you sign a lease.