Scammers take over legitimate rental listings and make them their own. Scammers copy the pictures and descriptions of online rental listings, replace the agent’s contact information with their own, and post the phony ads on a new site. If you call or email about the rental you’ll reach a scammer, who may take your money for an application fee, deposit, first month’s rent, or vacation rental charge. Then, the scammer disappears, and you’re left with no place to move in to.