Las Vegas Rental and Deposit Scam Checklist

Rental scams are common in the Las Vegas market, especially with short-term relocations and vacation rentals. Run through this before sending any deposit.

Before you send money:

• Verify the listing agent or property manager's license (see our real estate verification guide).
• Confirm who actually owns or manages the property — county assessor records or a direct call to a verifiable property management company can confirm this.
• Insist on an in-person tour or a live video walkthrough where the person shows you the actual unit, not just recycled listing photos.
• Never wire a deposit or send it via a non-reversible payment method to someone you haven't verified.
• Be suspicious of a price significantly below comparable units in the same building or area.

Common tactics to watch for:

• "Owner is out of the country/state and can't show it in person" combined with pressure to wire a deposit to hold the unit.
• Listings copied from a legitimate site (Zillow, Craigslist) with a different contact and lower price.
• Being asked to pay an "application fee" or "hold fee" before ever touring or verifying the unit.
• A "landlord" who won't provide a lease with their full legal name and won't meet in person.

If you already paid: Save every message and payment record immediately, attempt a chargeback or dispute with your payment provider, and file with LVMPD Financial Crimes and/or FBI IC3 depending on how the scam was conducted. Consider documenting it on VegasBlacklist with your evidence so others searching the same listing or contact can see the pattern.

Last reviewed: [DRAFT DATE — update before publish]