Deepfake Landlord Rental Scam: Stealing property videos for video-call signing, disappearing after collecting deposits

Who Gets Targeted

Primary victims include fresh graduates, out-of-town migrant workers, and first-time renters, typically aged 18 to 30, who lack rental experience and have poor discernment regarding AI deepfakes. These individuals usually have limited budgets and lower their guard due to below-market rent or attractive property photos. Some are rushed to secure housing before starting school or a job, facing time pressure when the 'landlord' urges them to sign and pay a deposit. Unfamiliar with online signing processes, they gullibly trust the forged landlord faces and ID documents seen on video calls, ultimately transferring funds without visiting the property in person or verifying property ownership rights.

骗局怎么运作

• Stealing legitimate property images and videos. Scammers scrape photos, floor plans, and real-action videos of authentic rental properties from leasing platforms or agency websites. They disguise them as landlords and post them in fake rental listings offering low-priced baits. The entire script emphasizes 'direct landlord rental, no agency fees' along with rents below market rate, attracting tenants to send private inquiries.
• Inducing online viewings under the pretext of being 'out of town.' Scammers claim to be out of town or abroad, unable to arrange on-site viewings, but offer to send keys for the tenant to visit independently or showcase the property via video call. In some cases, they mail fake keys or send 'viewing instructions' containing phishing links, demanding tenants click the link to fill out personal information and prepay a small 'viewing security deposit.'
• Using AI deepfakes for video contract signing. When tenants request verification of the landlord's identity, scammers utilize AI face-swapping and voice-changing technology during video calls to replace their own face and voice with the image of the true property owner scraped from public channels. They simultaneously display forged ID or property ownership certificate photos, using scripts such as 'Look, do you see I look exactly like the ID?' or 'I'm out of the country, aren't you reassured yet?' to reinforce credibility.
• Urging the payment of deposits and rent citing fierce competition. Scammers create a sense of scarcity, claiming 'several other groups are viewing' or 'if you don't pay the deposit today, someone else will secure it,' requiring tenants to pay a security deposit plus three months' rent (or even half a year's rent) via WeChat, Alipay, or counterfeit rental platforms. In some cases, fake customer service representatives are deployed to answer calls and address questions regarding 'platform guarantees' and 'contract signing,' forming an interlocking trap.
• Disappearing and cycling through new numbers after receiving funds. Once the money hits the account, scammers immediately block the tenant, close the account, and even cancel the receiving account. When tenants arrive at the residential complex on schedule to move in, they discover the real landlord never rented out the property, and the so-called 'contract' was also forged. The scammers have transferred the funds by bulk-purchasing social accounts or renting collection QR codes, continuing to post new fake listings using the same modus operandi.

红旗信号（看到这些快跑）

• 🚩 Rent is noticeably lower than the market rate in the same area, with strong emphasis on 'direct landlord rental, no agency fees, special discount if booked today.'
• 🚩 Refusing on-site property viewings under excuses like being out of town or busy with work, only offering video viewings or mailing keys for self-guided tours.
• 🚩 Slight delays in the landlord's facial expressions and voice during video calls, mismatched lip-syncing, or abnormal video quality, while still managing to display forged credentials.
• 🚩 Rushing the payment of deposits or rent and demanding payment via personal WeChat, Alipay, or suspicious links rather than regulated platform escrow accounts.
• 🚩 Contract signing, payment, and viewings are completed entirely online, with the landlord never appearing in person, or even providing different recipient names or overseas accounts.

真实案例

• In September 2026, the Taiwan Criminal Investigation Bureau reported an escalation in back-to-school fake rental scams. Fraud rings posed as landlords mailing keys and phishing webpages, inducing tenants to fill out information and wire money. Police warned the public that even obtaining physical keys might lead straight into a trap (CNA report, September 6, 2026). (Source: [https://www.cna.com.tw/news/asoc/202609060095.aspx](https://www.cna.com.tw/news/asoc/202609060095.aspx))
• In September 2026, a male college student in Taichung fell victim to a combined trap of fake landlords and fake customer service during a rental transaction, losing 350,000 New Taiwan Dollars under the guise of prepaid rent and deposits. He later discovered the property images were stolen from real listings (Liberty Times report, September 2026). (Source: [https://udn.com/news/story/124490/9738301](https://udn.com/news/story/124490/9738301))
• The Zhejiang Procuratorate published an article in June 2026 exposing 'real vs. fake landlord' cases, where scammers utilized genuine property information to forge landlord identities for rentals, disappearing after tenants paid. The warning reminded tenants to verify real estate ownership certificates and the lessor's identity prior to signing contracts. (Source: [https://www.zjjcy.gov.cn/art/2026/6/15/art_31_206365.html](https://www.zjjcy.gov.cn/art/2026/6/15/art_31_206365.html))

Official Stance

• On September 6, 2026, the Taiwan Criminal Investigation Bureau issued a warning via CNA, exposing back-to-school fake rental key-mailing and phishing webpage scam scripts, urging the public not to wire money before conducting on-site viewings.
• On June 15, 2026, the Zhejiang Procuratorate website published an article titled 'Hidden Tricks in Real and Fake Landlords: Safeguarding the Rental Safety Line,' reminding tenants to verify ownership rights and lessor identities, and stay alert to online contracting risks.
• The Wuhan Municipal Public Security Bureau released a rental fraud notice in July 2026, pointing out that abnormal clauses in certain cases—such as 'rent being 20% higher than market value with a 5% annual increase'—were used to induce contract signing, leading to the criminal detention of 14 suspects.

How to Protect Yourself

• ✅ Insist on on-site viewings and entering the interior of the property for verification; do not accept signing contracts and making payments based solely on video viewings or mailed self-guided keys.
• ✅ Require the landlord to provide the original real estate ownership certificate and original ID card, checking whether the names match. When necessary, verify owner information with the property management office or community committee.
• ✅ Rent payments must be processed through legitimate rental platforms or bank transfers directed to an account matching the property owner; refuse payments to personal social media accounts or suspicious links.
• ✅ During video calls, ask the landlord to perform random actions such as turning their head or covering and uncovering their face, observing whether facial edges jitter or contours look abnormal to assist in identifying AI face-swapping.
• ✅ Maintain high vigilance toward properties with rents more than 10% below market value; immediately suspend any transaction where the counterpart pressures you to pay a deposit on the same day or prepay multiple months of rent.