Ever scroll through Instagram or TikTok and suddenly stop in your tracks because you see a beautiful apartment for rent for only $1,100 a month?<\/p>\n
The listing looks real \u2026 because it is. The real estate agent appears legitimate \u2026 because the person is real. But it\u2019s only after you pay the \u201crefundable\u201d $350 application fee that you learn the truth: It\u2019s a scam. <\/p>\n
\u201cI knew it in my gut but I double checked everything, looked him up, my friend checked too \u2026 it all seemed so legitimate,\u201d Jenny Diaz, 28, said. <\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Diaz landed a new job and was ready to live on her own. Her friend sent her an Instagram post \u2014 a video of what looked like the perfect Manhattan apartment. The profile had more than 27,000 followers, making it feel credible.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so hard to find apartments. I was using all sorts of apps but they get taken so quickly. And then my friend alerted me to these videos she was seeing on IG of these great apartments for reasonable prices.\u201d<\/p>\n
What happened next, NBC News learned, has become all too common for prospective renters across the country.<\/p>\n
Diaz said she and her friend messaged the poster, who claimed to be a real estate agent. She shared her personal information \u2014 name, move-in date, and income \u2014 and was told that paying the $350 refundable application fee would secure her a tour. But, she said, after she paid and received a confirmation email, follow-up messages went unanswered. That\u2019s when reality hit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey stopped responding to me and my heart just dropped. I knew it instantly and I couldn\u2019t believe it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a growing problem, according to the FBI. The bureau\u2019s internet crime complaint center received more than 130 real estate complaints referencing social media sites, with losses of approximately $600,000 in just the first five months of this year. That\u2019s compared to a total of 150 complaints last year with about $1.5 million in losses.<\/p>\n
These scams are sophisticated. Fraudsters use real agents\u2019 names and license numbers. If questioned, they\u2019ll send a doctored photo of a legitimate license or direct victims to fake company websites that look authentic, complete with agent photos and contact details.<\/p>\n
After NBC News spoke with a scammer posing as an agent for Keller Williams NYC and sent this website<\/a>, the company confirmed that the agent and website are not affiliated with it. The company now has a consumer alert on its website<\/a> warning visitors of such schemes. <\/p>\n Compass\u2019 Shane Boyle is one of the dozens of real estate brokers who these imposters are pretending to be. <\/p>\n \u201cI have a pit in my stomach looking at that. I mean, it\u2019s horrible,\u201d he said as he scrolled through online profiles using his name and personal photos. \u201cUsually, I\u2019m getting the angry phone call because they\u2019ve done a little bit of Googling, and they\u2019ve got then to my real account and to my real number, and they\u2019ll start questioning me.\u201d<\/p>\n Boyle showed NBC News dozens of texts and emails from people who believed he deceived them. On his real social media accounts, he\u2019s received furious comments such as, \u201cYou need to rot for what you\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI try to block that out, actually. That\u2019s gonna get me a bit emotional,\u201d he said after reading through some of the comments. <\/p>\n But it\u2019s not just agents\u2019 identities being hijacked \u2014 scammers are also stealing real video listings to lure in prospective renters.<\/p>\n