Metro Atlanta renters are being told to slow their scroll after a wave of too-good-to-be-true listings let fraudsters pose as local agents, then walk off with upfront application fees. Victims say they paid hundreds of dollars, and in some cases the scammers even recycled old rental-assistance forms and pushed for payments through Cash App or Apple Pay.
The Better Business Bureau of Greater Atlanta has flagged an uptick in these schemes and is warning tenants to be extra wary of rock-bottom prices, according to Atlanta News First. Josh Hares, the BBB's executive vice president, told the outlet that social media posts can look completely legit, and that listings priced at about half of comparable rentals nearby are probably not the bargain they pretend to be.
Earlier this month, Atlanta News First also uncovered a TikTok profile impersonating at least two licensed agents and pushing "no credit check" subleases with a $100 pre-screening fee. One of the real agents, Ashley Williams, jumped on video herself to warn renters that someone had swiped her name and license information, stressing, "I do not want to be in trouble because of a scam." TikTok shut the account down after reporters contacted the platform, although a near-twin page briefly popped back up the following day.
Nationally, rental fraud is thriving on social feeds. In the 12 months ending June 2025, about half of reported rental scams started with fake ads on Facebook, according to a December 2025 data spotlight from the FTC. Closer to home, WSB-TV has reported on police investigations where fake landlords demanded deposits and first month's rent through apps like Cash App, Apple Pay or Venmo.
How renters can protect themselves
The BBB says renters should slow down and verify organizations and payment pages before sending a dime, make sure websites show "HTTPS" and a lock icon, and treat deeply discounted rents as a major red flag rather than a lucky break. For quick research and reporting, the Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker publishes consumer complaints and accepts new scam reports at BBB Scam Tracker.
If you suspect you are dealing with a fraud, gather everything you can: screenshots, receipts, message threads and any payment confirmations. Then contact your bank to see if a reversal is possible, and file a report so investigators have evidence to work with. Complaints can be submitted to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at IC3, and you should also reach out to local law enforcement to make a formal report.
Atlanta has seen other rental-related fraud cases hit the courts in recent months, including a February indictment that accuses a former state housing official of funneling emergency rental-assistance funds, a reminder that rent-relief programs and sublet offers can be ripe targets for abuse. Coverage of the earlier case involving alleged misuse of pandemic-era rental funds laid out how quickly that money can be diverted.
As agencies and platforms play whack-a-mole with abusive pages, the BBB and consumer-protection advocates keep coming back to the same advice: trust but verify. Confirm who you are dealing with, meet landlords in person when possible, and never wire or send money through payment apps before you have a signed lease in hand. Suspected scams should be reported both to the Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov so investigators can better track patterns and shut these schemes down.
