You find a dream listing. Great location. Huge room. Unreasonably good price. The "landlord" says they're out of town but can mail you the keys once you send a deposit.
RED FLAG.
Student renters are prime scam targets. First-time renters. Inexperienced with leases. Desperate for housing. Scammers love all of that. Here’s how to make sure you’re not the one posting a horror story in the campus subreddit.
If It Feels Too Good to Be True, It 100% Is
A $900 studio in a $1600 neighborhood? Big red flag.
Scammers lure you in with an underpriced listing and urgency. They’ll say things like:
“I have 4 other people interested, so I need the deposit today.”
“I’m out of town so we can’t tour, but I’ll send pics.”
“I’ll mail the keys once payment clears.”
Stop. No legit landlord works like that.
Always Tour-Physically or Virtually
You (or someone you trust) need to see the place. Video call tours are fine, but make sure:
They walk through the space live (no pre-recorded video)
You can ask them to show specific things (inside fridge, closet, bathroom corners)
You ask questions only someone with access would know (what’s the oven brand?)
Still unsure? Look up the address on Google Street View and see if it matches. Check past listings on Zillow. Ask around.
Verify Ownership
Ask: Who actually owns this place? Who’s managing it? Then check:
Your county’s property records (most are online)
Reverse Google image search the listing photos
Look up the landlord/property manager name on LinkedIn or Google
Many scams reuse photos from real listings. Always double check.
Avoid Paying With Apps or Gift Cards
Never pay rent or deposits via:
Cash App
Zelle (unless it’s with a verified management company)
Venmo (unless it’s to a real person you’ve met)
Gift cards (never, ever legit)
Use a method with protection: credit card, secure payment portal, or at minimum PayPal Goods & Services.
Don’t Let the Groupchat Rush You
A lot of scams happen because one person in a roommate group says “It looks fine! Let’s lock it in!” and sends money before verifying anything.
Appoint someone to double-check ownership, tour, and review the lease. Don’t split money until it’s confirmed.
Save Every Screenshot
If anything feels off, document everything:
Texts, emails, DMs
Listing screenshots
Payment records
If you do get scammed, this can help with recovery or legal help. And it’ll help warn others too.
Stay Financially Safe While You Search
Fizz can’t stop scams-but it can make the financial side of renting way safer once you do sign a lease. You can:
Pay bills without using risky apps
Build credit safely (no interest, no cosigner)
Track daily balances so you don’t miss payments
It’s a much better setup than hoping your roommate remembers to Venmo you back.
Be smarter than the scam.
Fizz helps students protect their credit, split bills cleanly, and manage rent the grown-up way (without actually needing to be a grown-up yet).