Rental Scams That Demand Venmo Payment
Rental scammers target US renters with Venmo deposit requests, leveraging the app's casual familiarity to make fraudulent payments feel like a normal peer-to-peer transaction with a real landlord.
Part of: Holiday Rental Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Venmo's casual brand — built around splitting costs with friends and family — is an unlikely setting for large financial fraud, which is precisely why rental scammers choose it. A Venmo request from a 'landlord' carries the same psychological weight as a request from a peer, reducing the critical examination that a wire transfer or cheque payment would prompt.
Younger renters who are most comfortable with app-based payments are disproportionately targeted by rental Venmo scams, as their payment habits align with the method and they may not recognise the absence of renter protection that app payments provide.
How this scam works on Venmo
A rental listing with below-market pricing attracts a renter's enquiry. The landlord responds and asks for a holding deposit via Venmo to secure the property before a formal viewing can be arranged. The amount is typically one to two weeks' rent — significant but not so large as to be immediately implausible for a Venmo transaction.
After the holding deposit, first month's rent and a security deposit are requested via Venmo before keys are handed over. The landlord explains the Venmo method as convenient for both parties. Once payments are received, the landlord becomes unresponsive.
In some cases, the scammer sends a legitimate-looking Venmo business account page or payment link to further authenticate the appearance of the transaction.
Common red flags
- Landlord requesting holding deposit or rent via Venmo before any property viewing
- Venmo request from a landlord who has not met you in person
- Explanation that Venmo is the landlord's preferred payment method for its convenience
- Venmo account with a personal profile name linked to a rental listing
- Request for multiple Venmo payments labelled as different fees
How to protect yourself
- Insist on viewing any rental property in person before paying any fee
- Confirm the landlord's identity and property ownership through independent records
- Use payment methods with dispute mechanisms for any rental deposit
- Contact Venmo support immediately if a payment was made to a suspected fraudster
How to report it
- Contact Venmo support and your bank as quickly as possible
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- Report the listing to the platform where it appeared
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a refund through Venmo if a 'landlord' disappears after I paid?
It depends on how the payment was sent — Venmo's purchase protection generally applies to goods-and-services payments, not personal transfers, so refunds for rental deposits sent as 'friends and family' are unlikely. Report the transaction to Venmo support and your bank regardless, since they may still be able to investigate. Recovery isn't guaranteed once the scammer has withdrawn the funds.
What red flags suggest a Venmo rental payment request is a scam?
Be cautious if a landlord you've never met in person asks for a deposit via Venmo before a viewing, especially if they claim to be traveling, deployed overseas, or otherwise unable to meet. Listings priced well below market rate, combined with pressure to pay quickly, are a classic combination. A real landlord will typically accept payment after a lease is signed and identity verified, not before.
Is it safe to pay a holding deposit via Venmo to someone I've never met in person?
It's risky — treat any deposit request from someone you haven't met or verified as a landlord as a serious warning sign, regardless of how convincing the listing photos or documents look. Confirm property ownership independently if possible, and insist on an in-person or verified video viewing first. If they refuse or make excuses, walk away rather than sending payment.
Does Venmo offer any recourse if a rental deposit was a scam?
Personal Venmo transfers offer no purchase protection. Contact Venmo support immediately to report fraud — while recovery of authorised payments is not guaranteed, reporting prevents the account from victimising others and creates a record that may support law enforcement action.