Key takeaways
- Never pay a deposit before you see the unit in person or on a live video call
- A rent far below similar places nearby is the biggest warning sign
- The "landlord is abroad and will mail the keys" story is always a scam
- Interac e-Transfers are like cash: once accepted, they are very hard to get back
- If you paid, call your bank right away, then the police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
How rental scams work
A scammer copies photos and text from a real listing, or invents one, and posts it at a low price. When you reply, they rush you to pay a deposit before you can see the place. Once the money arrives, they disappear. Newcomers are targets because they often search from abroad, do not know local prices yet, and need a home fast.
Scams appear on social media groups, classified sites and messaging apps. They can also use real addresses, which makes them look genuine.
Common rental scams in Canada
1. The landlord abroad
The "owner" says they work overseas, cannot show the unit, and will mail the keys after you pay. A real landlord or property manager will arrange a viewing.
2. The deposit before viewing
You are told many people want the place and you must send an e-Transfer now to "hold" it. Pressure to pay before seeing is the most common sign of a scam.
3. The fake landlord in a real home
Someone rents a unit short term, shows it to many people, and takes deposits from all of them. Check that the person showing the unit owns or manages it.
4. The identity grab
A fake application asks for your passport, Social Insurance Number (SIN) and bank details. The scammer uses them to open accounts in your name. A landlord does not need your SIN.
5. The fake agent or "finder’s fee"
Someone charges a fee to find you an apartment or to put you on a "priority list", then stops answering. Settlement agencies help you for free.
Warning signs
- The rent is far below similar places nearby. Compare with the averages in our cost of living calculator.
- You cannot see the unit in person or on a live video call.
- You are pressured to decide or pay today.
- Payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer or money transfer to a person abroad.
- No written lease, or a lease that does not match your province’s rules. In Ontario, most leases must use the standard lease form.
- They ask for more than the law allows: in Quebec only the first month’s rent; in B.C. no application fee and at most half a month as a deposit.
- The email address, phone number or name changes during the conversation.
How to check a landlord and a listing
- Search the address and photos. Use a reverse image search. If the same photos appear in another city or another listing, it is a scam.
- See it. Visit in person, or ask a trusted friend to go. If you are abroad, insist on a live video call where they walk through the unit and show the street.
- Check who owns it. Ask for photo ID and proof of ownership or a management contract. You can confirm the owner through your province’s land registry for a small fee.
- Read the lease before paying. Make sure the names, address, rent and deposit match what you agreed.
- Pay in a traceable way and get a receipt. Avoid cash. Pay only after signing.
- Ask a settlement worker to look at the listing with you. Find one with the support finder.
Questions to ask before you pay
A real landlord or property manager can answer these easily. A scammer usually cannot, or changes the subject:
- Can I see the unit this week, in person or on a live video call?
- Are you the owner, or do you manage it for the owner? Can I see ID and proof?
- Which lease form will we sign, and can I read it before I pay?
- What deposit do you need, and how will you hold it?
- How do I pay, and will I get a receipt?
Write down the answers, with the date and the person’s name and number.
Searching from outside Canada
It is safest not to sign a long lease before you arrive. Book a temporary stay for your first 2 to 4 weeks and view places in person. If you must rent from abroad, use a property management company with an office and website you can check, or a friend in Canada who can view the unit and meet the landlord. Read before you land for what else to do before your flight.
Sublets, short stays and scams after you move in
Sublets and room shares: a tenant may rent you their place while they are away. This can be legal, but in many provinces the tenant needs the landlord’s consent. Ask to see the original lease and the landlord’s written permission, or you may be evicted with little notice.
Short-term rentals for your first weeks: book through a platform that holds your payment until check-in. If a host asks you to pay outside the platform, refuse; you lose the platform’s protection.
After you move in: watch for fake "rent increase" or "new bank account" messages that ask you to pay a different account. Confirm any change in person or by a phone number you already know. Your landlord must follow your province’s rules for rent increases.
What to do if you already paid
- Call your bank right away. Ask them to stop or recall the payment. The faster you call, the better the chance. Interac e-Transfers that were already accepted are usually very hard to reverse.
- Report it to the police where you live and get a report number.
- Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca or by phone at 1-888-495-8501 (Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4:45 pm Eastern).
- Report the listing to the website or app where you saw it.
- If you shared ID documents, watch your accounts, contact the credit bureaus, and tell Service Canada if your SIN was involved.
Being scammed is not your fault. Report it even if the amount is small; it helps police link cases. Free legal clinics can also help. See immigration scams for other frauds that target newcomers.