Is this listing real? A scam check before you pay

Rental scams usually work the same way: a real listing's photos are copied and posted at a low price, and the "landlord" asks for money before you can see the place. Run through this list first. It takes five minutes.

Three rules

Never pay before you see it. See the home in person, or on a live video tour with a licensed agent who is physically there, and have a signed lease or written approval first.
Pay the right party, the right way. Pay the landlord, the listing broker's escrow account, or the closing attorney named in the lease. Never by gift card, crypto, or a cash app to a person.
Confirm wire instructions by voice. Before any wire, call the brokerage at a number you looked up yourself, not one from the email or text. Real estate wire fraud often starts with a hacked or look-alike email.

Red flags

A price far below similar homes nearby.
No showing. The owner is "out of the country" and will mail the keys, or wants money before you see it.
Payment by wire, gift card, crypto or a cash app to a person, especially before a lease.
Pressure: "Many people want it; send the deposit today."
Listing text copied from another site, or the same photos under a different name or price.
No lease, or a generic lease with names that don't match public records.
Someone asking for your Social Security number or bank login before you've verified the listing and the person.

How to check a listing and an agent

Ask for the MLS number and the listing brokerage. A real MLS listing has both. Every listing on zach.homes names its listing office.
Check the agent's license on the Florida DBPR license search (opens in a new tab). A licensed agent works for a named brokerage you can call. Zach's own license: Zach Curtis, REALTOR®, Realty Hub, license SL3664129.
Check the owner. County property appraiser records are public: the Broward County Property Appraiser (opens in a new tab) (Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale and more) and the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser (opens in a new tab) (Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami). The owner's name should match the lease or the listing agreement.
Search the photos with a reverse image search to see whether the same home appears elsewhere at a different price.

If you think you were scammed

Contact your bank right away to try to stop or reverse the payment, report it to local police, and file reports with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab) and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3 (opens in a new tab)). Report the fake listing to the site where you saw it.

Ask Zach to check a listing

Send the link and Zach will look it up in BeachesMLS and tell you what he finds. Free, and you don't need to rent through him. If you already sent money, call your bank first.

Link to the listing or ad (optional)What did they ask for? (optional)Have you sent money? (optional)What looks off? (optional)Your nameMobile phoneEmail (optional)Best way to reach you (optional)

Rather not check the box? That's fine. Zach will call or email instead.

Zach replies personally within 15 minutes, 8 AM to 9 PM ET, 7 days. Outside those hours, by 9 AM. Your info goes to Zach only. Never sold, never shared. You choose how he reaches you, and STOP always works.

This page is general information, not legal advice, and no checklist catches every scam. Zach can tell you what BeachesMLS and public records show about a listing; he can't guarantee that a listing or a person you deal with elsewhere is legitimate.