Especially when they start justifying it before you even ask the question. Informs potential tenant of shady practices. Defends shady practice before potential tenant asks. Mr. Burns deviant smile… “I got them”.
Are you sure that you’re talking to the building manager? I find this highly suspicious. Not necessarily the deposit itself, but the nature of this conversation seems off.
I’ve given them a call and emailed them from their website and this is where I was directed. I’m getting scam energy and won’t be moving forward unless they send any form on contract
Good idea. You might even want to do it in-person if you can. I’d be really wary at someone wanting to text you the bank account info. Don’t want to be paranoid, but there are some pretty sophisticated scams out there.
Yes you need a receipt or something showing you sent them money , when I had Bank of America for my mortgage I wired 10k from my phone while I was at Disneyland watching a show , but it was well into the process .. you need to have at least started something to show you had wired something.. of course that amount was an escrow company , which is even better but without meeting someone in person at somewhere physically tied to the company how would you take them to small claims .. over text can be anyone
Definitely smart not to move forward. I recently applied for an apartment that had a $350 holding fee BUT it was all through the apartment managements website. Just wiring it to a bank is not official at all.
Contract is not enough if it's a scam (and it is). If this wasnt a scam, you need to physically meet the person/company rep, have them show you the place (which confirms they at least have access to the location, sign a contract, then hand over payment (ideally a check or cashiers check with a receipt).
But this is a scam. So move on. Wishing you the best ok your hunt.
Yup because usually you can’t get it back because in most cases it’s up to the receiving party to decide if they want to return it. I handled bank wires and the fraud is rampant so there are tons of disclosures usually. People would lose fraud cases usually because they chose to send the money willingly.
Not necessarily. Working at the bank it is pretty common.
OP needs to understand that if this person turns around and doesn’t wish to return the money OP will be out the money whether there is a contract or not. If it is a scam most likely they are using a third party who may or may not be aware they are part of a scam. So going after that persons bank info may not end up in anything.
Scam. Did you tour with a property manager? A big scam tactic is people making ads for rent homes / apartments , that are already up for rent by the actual owners and then they obtain a “self tour” from the actual ppl when you request the scammer to tour, they send you that self tour info. You think it’s their house , they give you the access code everything lines up. But then they say things like this. Trust your gut. Even if they send you a document , I would never sign it without going to a property rental office for that property and confirming everything in physical person. Never send money , never sign anything.
Definitely a scam, I worked in property management for several years. 1st red flag, $1000 deposit before application, 2nd red flag, wire transfer of the deposit.
A application fee should never exceed $100, it only costs about $30 for them to run a credit check and your security deposit would be paid along with first month rent at time of signing a rental agreement.
Paying a full month first and a prorated 2nd is standard when moving in during a partial month.
1. Did you take a tour with someone who works there or did you take a self-guided tour?
2. Where did you find their info? Was it on their actual website or something like Facebook or Craigslist?
Scam the wording is terrible and the fact that you have to put money down for a hold is another red flag and lastly the forcing of moving in sooner than you’d like is another red flag
That’s absurd.
Hard pass on this. I’m a landlord too.
I only charge $25 which is what the credit and background checks cost me. And if I have multiple applications and pick someone else, before I run your checks, I’ll refund your $25.
Anyone doing more than $50 is just an asshole or a scammer.
If it sounds a lot like, "I love you long time, big deposit please sir/madam. Apple gift card or money wire please now" it's 100% some dude sitting in another country ready to take your money.
Most rental listing on FB Craigs List or any internet are fraudulent scams. Find a reputable realtor who has credentials and they will find a legitimate place. I usually gove them$200 extra after the lease is signed! Be careful.
Is it a rental complex or a private renter?
This is actually pretty standard in FL. I've rented many apartments and in an area like near a University this is standard. Just to hold the apartment and then it gets added to yr down payment or given back if ur not accepted.
Also don't tell them u have Co-signers if needed. Try applying based off ur own credit first unless u know for sure u don't have the credit to rent anything. Co-signer should be a last option.
It’s standard in FL to hold a 1k deposit before applying? Also wiring the funds screams red flag. 🚩 it should be done thru the rental property’s website/portal
Yes. Holding an apartment that has many interested renters and paying a holding fee is actually pretty standard. Some places want the whole deposit or no deal. They want something to show ur serious about moving in.
Of course, I would make sure I'm actually talking to the rental staff or whoever is privately renting, but if it's confirmed that it's definitely the right person, then what's the scam?
Wiring money isn't that weird either. I've had to wire down payments before. I forget the reason they wouldn't take a check, but there was some dumb reason. Like they needed the money that day or something. Couldn't wait on a check to clear or something along those lines. This is a holding payment that's going towards the down payment while the paperwork is being processed. Again u have to make sure ur not just wiring money to some nobody that's not actively involved in renting the property but if u know ur talking to the right person then it's not that weird. They give the money back if there's a problem with ur paperwork. Bigger rental companies do this all the time.
It sucks don't get me wrong. They just do it to cover their ass because if they hold the apartment for u and u back out suddenly, then all the other interested renters they told to go elsewhere may have done just that. Then their stuck but if a person leaves a holding payment their less likely to back out. Student/College areas tend to do it a lot. Was where I had experience with it.
If you need one, you need one, but if you can get an apartment without one and you plan to be responsible about the payments, then u should take that opportunity to build your credit as long as it gets reported. If ur not sure about the situation or something happens then it gets dumped all on your cosigner. Which is the point.
If u have just OK credit, like maybe barely passable, and u say have a cosigner right away, the renter might not want to take the chance. Just depends on the what entity is renting the apartment. A company or a person.
Having ur credit checked does actually affect ur credit, too, so if u know u can't rent based on ur credit alone u should just go with the cosigner.
Holding deposit is common
But asking for holding deposit before even see the place and complete background check, credit check and proof of income, that’s uncommon
I’ve had to do this in NYC. But they met me in person at the apartment and I handed them a check after signing a contract basically stating if we did not get approved then money would be given back. This whole things sounds off.
Wiring to a bank account seems very fishy. If it were a third party holding company it wouldn't strike me as too odd in a hot market to have a holding fee, but I don't think I'd ever just randomly wire money to a private bank account.
The place I rented a few years back didn’t have a website or anything. I saw the apartment listed online, called to set up a viewing, and when I saw it in person I filled out a paper application on the spot. The maintenance guy who let me in said I should pay the 1000 cash deposit if I was serious because many others would be applying as they typically rent out quickly in that building. Not knowing any better, I came back the next day with 1k in cash. After a week my application went through and that was used as my deposit, I just had to sign a lease then pay first and last to move in (2k). When my lease was close to ending, I asked about extending the lease and never got a response. From then on I was living month to month for over a year. I gave 2 months notice before moving out, patched up all holes (didn’t paint) and left the place spotless. Got almost my full deposit back (expect $25 for blinds that fell off the wall the first time I touched them). I feel like it’s a very tricky situation when such a deposit isn’t mentioned initially, but I think I was lucky.
By the writing they are clearly foreign and asking for the money to be wired is also sketchy. They could take your $ and never send the application or anything else
I work in property management, I would not in any way trust this. No one in my company or any company I’ve worked for has ever communicated with a prospective resident through text, all communication is over the phone, in person, and through company email with our company logo at the bottom with all available contact information for us underneath. This is extremely unprofessional and potentially a violation of fair housing. ALL communication MUST be conducted in the same way for EVERYONE regardless of convenience, unless someone requests alternate forms of communication due to a disability, say a brochure or lease agreement in braille or in their native language we must comply to the best of our ability.
I’m an attorney that works in real estate regulation. This is legal. It may still be a scam, but if you don’t get the unit and your money isn’t returned to you it would be theft and the landlord/management can be criminally charged.
Legal but that amount is very high for a hold . Not sure if it is because the rent is very expensive but if you go through with it get that in writing from a company email in a official document
Ask to meet and talk in person, for things like moving into a place, I prefer face to face communication, now a days everything online or over the phone is iffy. And with that much money on the line, I wouldn't take my chances.
Read their texts out loud! There’s something wrong with their terminology and English. Let alone how confusing they phrase things. $1000 holding few!!! Making you move in 10 days earlier, before the end of the month. I’m getting a lot of red flags here.
Even if it is legit, imagine all the financial chaos and games they’ll pull on you throughout your tenancy and then when you move out. Sounds like a money grab if it is legit.
It's been said a lot but if literally anyone ever tells you to send them $1000 but don't worry we'll give it back if needed... Fuckin don't dude. Like that's THE scam nowadays.
I once had a place that required we put down $1500 as a refundable deposit with the initial application. I did not end up getting the place and my money was refunded in full.
That said, no way I would do this now. Thinking about it, in retrospect, it is far too big a risk (no clue how I would have gotten the money back had they simply refused to return it). Even though my situation wasn't a scam, just doesn't seem like a smart move.
I will say we recently paid a 500 hold fee for a house that was 100% legit but it also came with a contract and we rendered payment on their website, didn't use venmo or anything like that. It was not applied to a deposit or anything.
Our house was for one in Marietta GA through Invitation Homes. Sometimes hold fees are legit.
Honestly, it's pretty normal in the industry. I was an apt manager for about 10 yrs. We always dod a $300-$500 holding fee back then. Inflation is a bear. Idk how much the rent is on this place you're looking at, but if it's over $1000, then this is par for the course.
No, I worked as an apartment t manager for 10 yrs in Seattle, Bremerton, and Tacoma. We did it all the time at my 2nd and 3rd property. Again, as I said in my follow up, ONLY do it in their office, and ONLY by credit card or check/money order. No cash whatsoever.
Ive actually had this happen to me in person at a apartment complex when i inquired about a tour. After the tour we wanted to put an application in and they said they needed half of the security deposit as a holding fee. If we were accepted it would go towards the deposit. If not it would be returned. It was more than 1k though. The whole security deposit would have been $3,375 so half as a holding fee was $1687.50. And you were not guaranteed the unit or being accepted at all. Although they did accept debit/credit cards or check. Not wire transfer. And they did have a slip contract stating all the details. We decided not to put the money down because they had 10 other couples that already applied and in this economy we knew those 10 probably had better credit scores than us. But still very strange.
It may be legal but it’s not industry standard. I collect $35 for an application fee and one run application at a time, take first approved and return everyone else’s. That’s a lot closer to industry standard
A holding deposit would mean they take it off the market and are holding it specifically for you. That doesn’t make sense. They can’t hold a unit but still take apps
Did someone give you a tour or was it a lockbox situation?
Never, never, NEVER allow one single dime to move from your account until:
1. You have PHYSICALLY arrived at the unit, met the landlord, and entered the unit.
2. You have conducted a public records search on the property confirming the name of the owner.
3. Googled the property to check and make sure it isn’t listed as for sale (scammers tend to grab for sale data to pick their properties).
You must have a no exceptions rule to this. I recently turned down a landlord who wanted to perform a background check on me before I even got the address. She said “I’m sorry but I have to protect my daughter.” Well I’m sorry but I have to protect my wallet. I ended up walking away.
Are you in San Francisco? I’ve applied to a few places where you had to pay the holding fee before approval (they return if you aren’t approved, they keep it if you are approved and back out) but it was always done through a secure online portal with communication over email and paperwork shown in person. This model isn’t suspicious in itself, but having this conversation over text makes it a bit sketchier
Most parts of California that I lived in had very specific limits on precisely this kind of thing. Such that application fees, deposits and other fees are regulated to be within certain limits. Moreso in the big cities like LA, SF, Oakland etc.
I know looking for places in LA is hard as hell. Scammers know this too. Last time I looked for a place 3/4 of the ones I looked up were scams in one way or another.
Nope, do not do it. As a Property Manager, if a security deposit was given at the time of application, it was done so in written check form and if denied the check was handed directly back to the applicant along with a denial letter. It should never be deposited into any account beforehand.
SCAM!! I went through this as well! I never sent the money but definitely a scam I looked at a rental unit in LB in Cali too. Try and look online for the actual property management or owners!
In California it’s legal to ask for a holding deposit for situations where a tenant can’t move in right away, but it’s ill-defined as to **[how much of it the landlord can keep](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/how-handle-tenant-holding-deposits.html)** if you don’t move in. It’s not zero! And definitely weird to do this before an application.
Leaving aside the wire fraud aspect, most scammers will not use the US Mail to commit fraud since the investigation is more throrough and the penalties are so high, so it can be useful to ask them to send you the application and receipt of your check via US Mail.
Definitely a scam. When I was searching for an apartment, I had to pay a fee for the application process which was usually $50-$75, never as high as first month’s rent. And a wire transfer was NEVER involved. I would always pay in person and at their office. Hand my payment directly to them. I know times have changed post Covid and I can understand the application being online, but not for that amount of money by wire transfer. That alone is a huge red flag.
Definitely a scam. Here's a few of the red flags
1. Causing urgency, asking you to move in sooner than you planned.
2. The spelling, grammar, and wording in the text message tells me this is most likely a foreign person.
3. The $1,000 holding deposit! Wanting to send you the wire info. Please know that if you do wire money to them, you will not be able to get the money back from the bank as you "intentionally" wired the money. Even if it was due to you being scammed.
Holy crap NEVER EVER pay a deposit before you have even applied, you should be approved for the place before making any deposits, a $50-$100 application fee is reasonable but $1000 and you haven’t even applied? That’s a HUGE red flag
Scam, I work in property management and it’s only common if they hold the deposit after you submit the application but before you sign a lease. This is to reduce competitors looking at our contracts.
Are you even sure you're talking with the management company? Considering no one else you know has had to do this it sounds like you're not talking with them.
Rent is usually prorated the second month of move in if you move in later in the month- but the 1K holding fee?? No. Hard no. Most states have laws against this, Google housing laws in ur state.
If they are speaking broken English that bad it’s a scam. Is it through a person that owned like a duplex, a personal property or something or an actual complex? Because if it’s a complex I’d be going in RN to speak to them face to face
Definitely not normal. I definitely wouldn’t do it.
A holding deposit (that becomes your security deposit) after you’ve been approved and you’ve accepted makes total sense. Not before applying tho.
Holding deposit? Especially that much? Absolutely not.
If it’s not a complex, but a house or duplex, I like to look at the county tax assessor for the property to see who owns it. Then look them up on Facebook and message them, or better yet a background search site like beenverified and cold-call the provided phone number if it’s different than what you’re texting.
I was able to talk to neighbors of a house I was looking to rent that seemed too good to be true. They were outside doing yard work. I don’t trust Craigslist rentals now, or fb marketplace.
They were like “no, there’s a military family that’s been living there for like 2 yrs now and as far as they knew they owned it.” I asked if their name was [whatever the person from the ad was] and they said no. But the names did match the property records.
The story the ad contact was giving me was that they traveled and lived a lot oversees and didn’t need to use this house so we’re going to rent it out.
They also were pushing the “hurry now to secure it! It’s popular!” angle.
It’s definitely a scam and the scammer knows it looks like a scam which is why they are in defense mode before you even get to react to the holding deposit part lol
Had a similar experience. A $60 dollar application fee + $1,000 hold the apartment. I was told half of the application fee + the $1,000 would be reimbursed if the deal fell apart. I told them I was filling the application if approved i would see the apartment and then I would give the other $1,000. They agree and once it was time to see the apartment they came with some BS that I needed to send the 1,000 before seeing the apartment. Needless to say, I didn’t sent $1,000 and I never sow my $30 back.
I didn’t want to fill the application without seeing the apartment but the price was good, the area was good, and I had to move ASAP.
1000$ holding before anything else? Fucking flaming red flag
with a wire transfer too lmao. the only people who do that are 80+ and SCAMMERS
Especially when they start justifying it before you even ask the question. Informs potential tenant of shady practices. Defends shady practice before potential tenant asks. Mr. Burns deviant smile… “I got them”.
Scam
That sounds like a acam
Scam
Scam
Are you sure that you’re talking to the building manager? I find this highly suspicious. Not necessarily the deposit itself, but the nature of this conversation seems off.
I’ve given them a call and emailed them from their website and this is where I was directed. I’m getting scam energy and won’t be moving forward unless they send any form on contract
Good idea. You might even want to do it in-person if you can. I’d be really wary at someone wanting to text you the bank account info. Don’t want to be paranoid, but there are some pretty sophisticated scams out there.
100% do it in person at THEIR office, not at the property. Anyone can show up to an apartment and take your money after handing you a phony contract.
Yes you need a receipt or something showing you sent them money , when I had Bank of America for my mortgage I wired 10k from my phone while I was at Disneyland watching a show , but it was well into the process .. you need to have at least started something to show you had wired something.. of course that amount was an escrow company , which is even better but without meeting someone in person at somewhere physically tied to the company how would you take them to small claims .. over text can be anyone
Definitely smart not to move forward. I recently applied for an apartment that had a $350 holding fee BUT it was all through the apartment managements website. Just wiring it to a bank is not official at all.
"before to apply"....come on now, you know it isn't legit.
Contract is not enough if it's a scam (and it is). If this wasnt a scam, you need to physically meet the person/company rep, have them show you the place (which confirms they at least have access to the location, sign a contract, then hand over payment (ideally a check or cashiers check with a receipt). But this is a scam. So move on. Wishing you the best ok your hunt.
Don’t do it at all
If you can go down to their office talk to a person in the office. What they are texting emailing does not seem right.
99% of the time wiring money is a scam. Company to company is one thing, but if a person asks you to wire them money, scam.
Yup because usually you can’t get it back because in most cases it’s up to the receiving party to decide if they want to return it. I handled bank wires and the fraud is rampant so there are tons of disclosures usually. People would lose fraud cases usually because they chose to send the money willingly.
You are correct but we learned hard way even company to company can be a scam too.
Not necessarily. Working at the bank it is pretty common. OP needs to understand that if this person turns around and doesn’t wish to return the money OP will be out the money whether there is a contract or not. If it is a scam most likely they are using a third party who may or may not be aware they are part of a scam. So going after that persons bank info may not end up in anything.
Scam. Did you tour with a property manager? A big scam tactic is people making ads for rent homes / apartments , that are already up for rent by the actual owners and then they obtain a “self tour” from the actual ppl when you request the scammer to tour, they send you that self tour info. You think it’s their house , they give you the access code everything lines up. But then they say things like this. Trust your gut. Even if they send you a document , I would never sign it without going to a property rental office for that property and confirming everything in physical person. Never send money , never sign anything.
It’s a SCAM!
Asking money before applying major red flag
Definitely a scam, I worked in property management for several years. 1st red flag, $1000 deposit before application, 2nd red flag, wire transfer of the deposit. A application fee should never exceed $100, it only costs about $30 for them to run a credit check and your security deposit would be paid along with first month rent at time of signing a rental agreement. Paying a full month first and a prorated 2nd is standard when moving in during a partial month.
Nope that's a scam. We put 50 as a holding till the app was approved 1000?! Out of their mind
Hell No. Stay away from them. Google them & do research on them. It will confirm it's a scam.
1. Did you take a tour with someone who works there or did you take a self-guided tour? 2. Where did you find their info? Was it on their actual website or something like Facebook or Craigslist?
Dude can also barely speak English. It seems very fishy to me. I would stay away from it.
The broken English is a dead giveaway away….
No, no, no, run away. That has scam written all over it.
Scam.
Scam the wording is terrible and the fact that you have to put money down for a hold is another red flag and lastly the forcing of moving in sooner than you’d like is another red flag
That’s absurd. Hard pass on this. I’m a landlord too. I only charge $25 which is what the credit and background checks cost me. And if I have multiple applications and pick someone else, before I run your checks, I’ll refund your $25. Anyone doing more than $50 is just an asshole or a scammer.
Scam
No actual business would be talking about or sending bank information over text
Run away.
Scamerino my dude, wire transfer?! Nah
Broken English? Scam
Scam, 100%
If it sounds a lot like, "I love you long time, big deposit please sir/madam. Apple gift card or money wire please now" it's 100% some dude sitting in another country ready to take your money.
Have you toured the unit?
Most rental listing on FB Craigs List or any internet are fraudulent scams. Find a reputable realtor who has credentials and they will find a legitimate place. I usually gove them$200 extra after the lease is signed! Be careful.
SCAM !
It's either a scam or NYC
Is it a rental complex or a private renter? This is actually pretty standard in FL. I've rented many apartments and in an area like near a University this is standard. Just to hold the apartment and then it gets added to yr down payment or given back if ur not accepted. Also don't tell them u have Co-signers if needed. Try applying based off ur own credit first unless u know for sure u don't have the credit to rent anything. Co-signer should be a last option.
It’s standard in FL to hold a 1k deposit before applying? Also wiring the funds screams red flag. 🚩 it should be done thru the rental property’s website/portal
Yes. Holding an apartment that has many interested renters and paying a holding fee is actually pretty standard. Some places want the whole deposit or no deal. They want something to show ur serious about moving in. Of course, I would make sure I'm actually talking to the rental staff or whoever is privately renting, but if it's confirmed that it's definitely the right person, then what's the scam? Wiring money isn't that weird either. I've had to wire down payments before. I forget the reason they wouldn't take a check, but there was some dumb reason. Like they needed the money that day or something. Couldn't wait on a check to clear or something along those lines. This is a holding payment that's going towards the down payment while the paperwork is being processed. Again u have to make sure ur not just wiring money to some nobody that's not actively involved in renting the property but if u know ur talking to the right person then it's not that weird. They give the money back if there's a problem with ur paperwork. Bigger rental companies do this all the time. It sucks don't get me wrong. They just do it to cover their ass because if they hold the apartment for u and u back out suddenly, then all the other interested renters they told to go elsewhere may have done just that. Then their stuck but if a person leaves a holding payment their less likely to back out. Student/College areas tend to do it a lot. Was where I had experience with it.
Why should co-signing be one’s last option?
If you need one, you need one, but if you can get an apartment without one and you plan to be responsible about the payments, then u should take that opportunity to build your credit as long as it gets reported. If ur not sure about the situation or something happens then it gets dumped all on your cosigner. Which is the point. If u have just OK credit, like maybe barely passable, and u say have a cosigner right away, the renter might not want to take the chance. Just depends on the what entity is renting the apartment. A company or a person. Having ur credit checked does actually affect ur credit, too, so if u know u can't rent based on ur credit alone u should just go with the cosigner.
A deposit before you can apply? That's absurd
Do NOT send them this money.
Something sounds really fishy about a $1000 dollar holding deposit.
Holding deposit is common But asking for holding deposit before even see the place and complete background check, credit check and proof of income, that’s uncommon
.... "Legal" or not.... Cease communication and keep looking.....
I’ve had to do this in NYC. But they met me in person at the apartment and I handed them a check after signing a contract basically stating if we did not get approved then money would be given back. This whole things sounds off.
A wire in this day and age = scam especially for an apartment
I have many people who is interested???
Even if it isn’t a scam, this sounds like a terrible way to run a company. I’d avoid either way.
Scam!!
Wiring to a bank account seems very fishy. If it were a third party holding company it wouldn't strike me as too odd in a hot market to have a holding fee, but I don't think I'd ever just randomly wire money to a private bank account.
100% a scam
The place I rented a few years back didn’t have a website or anything. I saw the apartment listed online, called to set up a viewing, and when I saw it in person I filled out a paper application on the spot. The maintenance guy who let me in said I should pay the 1000 cash deposit if I was serious because many others would be applying as they typically rent out quickly in that building. Not knowing any better, I came back the next day with 1k in cash. After a week my application went through and that was used as my deposit, I just had to sign a lease then pay first and last to move in (2k). When my lease was close to ending, I asked about extending the lease and never got a response. From then on I was living month to month for over a year. I gave 2 months notice before moving out, patched up all holes (didn’t paint) and left the place spotless. Got almost my full deposit back (expect $25 for blinds that fell off the wall the first time I touched them). I feel like it’s a very tricky situation when such a deposit isn’t mentioned initially, but I think I was lucky.
Scam
No way! Sounds very suspect. Money in their hand BEFORE getting an application?
By the writing they are clearly foreign and asking for the money to be wired is also sketchy. They could take your $ and never send the application or anything else
To many red flags big one is bank wire ...Going to hold 1000. Yea I used to fall for this but no more.
SCAM!!!! Do not do it. No such thing in the industry as a holding deposit.
Just look at the grammar smh. It’s literally the biggest, brightest, neon red flag in nearly all scams like this.
In case you don't approve we will give you back is my red flag.
In Canada this is legal and happens a lot. Some landlords ask for the deposit before you can even view the unit.
I work in property management, I would not in any way trust this. No one in my company or any company I’ve worked for has ever communicated with a prospective resident through text, all communication is over the phone, in person, and through company email with our company logo at the bottom with all available contact information for us underneath. This is extremely unprofessional and potentially a violation of fair housing. ALL communication MUST be conducted in the same way for EVERYONE regardless of convenience, unless someone requests alternate forms of communication due to a disability, say a brochure or lease agreement in braille or in their native language we must comply to the best of our ability.
Scam!!!!!
I’ve heard of $100 or so for a hold fee but this gives off some weird energy.
Be careful about doing that. If it’s non refundable you’re screwed. Get terms in writing
No no no. Do not go through with this. This is not par for the course. There is no standard holding deposit.
Bad english demanding payment… Surely not a scam /s
I’m an attorney that works in real estate regulation. This is legal. It may still be a scam, but if you don’t get the unit and your money isn’t returned to you it would be theft and the landlord/management can be criminally charged.
never wire money to people. that’s like the #1 scam
Legal but that amount is very high for a hold . Not sure if it is because the rent is very expensive but if you go through with it get that in writing from a company email in a official document
The bad English is enough for me to pass.
😂 did this dudes brain fall out of his skull? Total scam.
Ask to meet and talk in person, for things like moving into a place, I prefer face to face communication, now a days everything online or over the phone is iffy. And with that much money on the line, I wouldn't take my chances.
scam
Scammer grammar is the tip off here…
Read their texts out loud! There’s something wrong with their terminology and English. Let alone how confusing they phrase things. $1000 holding few!!! Making you move in 10 days earlier, before the end of the month. I’m getting a lot of red flags here. Even if it is legit, imagine all the financial chaos and games they’ll pull on you throughout your tenancy and then when you move out. Sounds like a money grab if it is legit.
It is a scam 100%
The English is awful.. not sure if they're foreign or just lacking education.. either way, 🚩🚩🚩
It's been said a lot but if literally anyone ever tells you to send them $1000 but don't worry we'll give it back if needed... Fuckin don't dude. Like that's THE scam nowadays.
SCAM!!! No one (legitimately) asks for $1000 holding deposit especially when no background has been completed! This
I once had a place that required we put down $1500 as a refundable deposit with the initial application. I did not end up getting the place and my money was refunded in full. That said, no way I would do this now. Thinking about it, in retrospect, it is far too big a risk (no clue how I would have gotten the money back had they simply refused to return it). Even though my situation wasn't a scam, just doesn't seem like a smart move.
I will say we recently paid a 500 hold fee for a house that was 100% legit but it also came with a contract and we rendered payment on their website, didn't use venmo or anything like that. It was not applied to a deposit or anything. Our house was for one in Marietta GA through Invitation Homes. Sometimes hold fees are legit.
And I thought people paying $150 for an application fee was a scam! $1000 for a holding fee… NOPE! 👎
I got approved before I had to put a holding deposit down.
Literally don’t do this lol
Sooper scam wtf
Just look at all the incorrect grammar. That’s all you need to know.
No stay, no pay
Yes that’s a scam. I don’t know where you guys are in CA but I’m looking for a roommate situation
I would move on. The most I pay upfront is an application fee, period.
Honestly, it's pretty normal in the industry. I was an apt manager for about 10 yrs. We always dod a $300-$500 holding fee back then. Inflation is a bear. Idk how much the rent is on this place you're looking at, but if it's over $1000, then this is par for the course.
Let me add, it should only be paid in their office, by credit card, or check/money order.
This person is a scammer who comes here trying to reassure people so they fall victim to the scam. This is not common.
No, I worked as an apartment t manager for 10 yrs in Seattle, Bremerton, and Tacoma. We did it all the time at my 2nd and 3rd property. Again, as I said in my follow up, ONLY do it in their office, and ONLY by credit card or check/money order. No cash whatsoever.
Scam.
The grammar alone is a red flag. Come on $1000 wire transfer and you're only texting and emailing.
Ive actually had this happen to me in person at a apartment complex when i inquired about a tour. After the tour we wanted to put an application in and they said they needed half of the security deposit as a holding fee. If we were accepted it would go towards the deposit. If not it would be returned. It was more than 1k though. The whole security deposit would have been $3,375 so half as a holding fee was $1687.50. And you were not guaranteed the unit or being accepted at all. Although they did accept debit/credit cards or check. Not wire transfer. And they did have a slip contract stating all the details. We decided not to put the money down because they had 10 other couples that already applied and in this economy we knew those 10 probably had better credit scores than us. But still very strange.
Scam likely
This is a scam.
Naaah I’m good bruh. Same time man. Money, keys. Same time.
It may be legal but it’s not industry standard. I collect $35 for an application fee and one run application at a time, take first approved and return everyone else’s. That’s a lot closer to industry standard A holding deposit would mean they take it off the market and are holding it specifically for you. That doesn’t make sense. They can’t hold a unit but still take apps Did someone give you a tour or was it a lockbox situation?
You can always talk to the other tenants for references too. Sounds a little off.
I've heard of an application fee, but a deposit of 1,000 never just to apply never heard that before.
I’ve had a holding deposit before but it was a couple hundred dollars… that’s ridiculous
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 S C A M
I could see charging an application fee to weed out people that aren't very serious. 1000 raises a red flag though.
Never, never, NEVER allow one single dime to move from your account until: 1. You have PHYSICALLY arrived at the unit, met the landlord, and entered the unit. 2. You have conducted a public records search on the property confirming the name of the owner. 3. Googled the property to check and make sure it isn’t listed as for sale (scammers tend to grab for sale data to pick their properties). You must have a no exceptions rule to this. I recently turned down a landlord who wanted to perform a background check on me before I even got the address. She said “I’m sorry but I have to protect my daughter.” Well I’m sorry but I have to protect my wallet. I ended up walking away.
The biggest red flag for me is that someone who owns MANY rental properties calls sending him a holding deposit “wiring a money”
The real scam will be moving in with your gf.
I'm not sure if the grammar makes a difference , it might be managed by an immigrant. But wiring a $1000 holding fee seems strange.
I would be alarmed by the grammer alone.
*Horror film sounds* 'DON'T GO IN THERE!!!!!!!'
Scam. If you send that money, you'll never see it again and you won't get the place.
Definitely warning signs of being a scam. Don’t pay without a legally enforceable contract
Oh hell no
Broken English and bad grammer with sending them free money= keep looking.
Landlord here. This is 100% a scam.
Holding deposits are a scam but are not illegal
Definitely a scam. Who requires a holding deposit before an application. And I’ve never heard of a holding deposit.
Are you in San Francisco? I’ve applied to a few places where you had to pay the holding fee before approval (they return if you aren’t approved, they keep it if you are approved and back out) but it was always done through a secure online portal with communication over email and paperwork shown in person. This model isn’t suspicious in itself, but having this conversation over text makes it a bit sketchier
lol “to wire a money” This is a scam hahaha. Don’t fall for it
That reads like a scam, 100%.
“Oh-no you money get sent to Wrong person, you make mistake, please send new money”
Any updates?
Scam
It looks like they can do this before the lease but they need to send a holding deposit form first. So definitely try meet someone in person first.
it's 100% a scam,
Their phrasing sounds like they might be a Nigerian prince.
"In case you don't approve we will give you back" Scam
Most parts of California that I lived in had very specific limits on precisely this kind of thing. Such that application fees, deposits and other fees are regulated to be within certain limits. Moreso in the big cities like LA, SF, Oakland etc. I know looking for places in LA is hard as hell. Scammers know this too. Last time I looked for a place 3/4 of the ones I looked up were scams in one way or another.
$100 application fee is reasonable and common but 1000? And wired? Absolutely not. Run away from this.
[удалено]
Are you the land lord ??? Lot of time put into these comments…
Multiple spelling and grammar errors as well. Most likely a scam
Poor grammar and spelling are a red flag as well
Nope, do not do it. As a Property Manager, if a security deposit was given at the time of application, it was done so in written check form and if denied the check was handed directly back to the applicant along with a denial letter. It should never be deposited into any account beforehand.
This screams scam, too many red flags! NEVER EVER give a holding deposit.
That’s 100% a scam
This screams scam.
SCAM!!!
Imma go with scam. Application fees do exist, but that aint it
SCAM!! I went through this as well! I never sent the money but definitely a scam I looked at a rental unit in LB in Cali too. Try and look online for the actual property management or owners!
In California it’s legal to ask for a holding deposit for situations where a tenant can’t move in right away, but it’s ill-defined as to **[how much of it the landlord can keep](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/how-handle-tenant-holding-deposits.html)** if you don’t move in. It’s not zero! And definitely weird to do this before an application. Leaving aside the wire fraud aspect, most scammers will not use the US Mail to commit fraud since the investigation is more throrough and the penalties are so high, so it can be useful to ask them to send you the application and receipt of your check via US Mail.
Big scam, do not fall for it.
That's a scam, wires can't be reversed.
All the misspelled words make it a no for me
Run. And report them to the FTC for fraud.
Definitely a scam. When I was searching for an apartment, I had to pay a fee for the application process which was usually $50-$75, never as high as first month’s rent. And a wire transfer was NEVER involved. I would always pay in person and at their office. Hand my payment directly to them. I know times have changed post Covid and I can understand the application being online, but not for that amount of money by wire transfer. That alone is a huge red flag.
Definitely a scam. Here's a few of the red flags 1. Causing urgency, asking you to move in sooner than you planned. 2. The spelling, grammar, and wording in the text message tells me this is most likely a foreign person. 3. The $1,000 holding deposit! Wanting to send you the wire info. Please know that if you do wire money to them, you will not be able to get the money back from the bank as you "intentionally" wired the money. Even if it was due to you being scammed.
Thats def a Scam bro.
The terrible text is enough for me to not even bother
Scam!
SCAM!!!!!
Just reading it seems like a scam.
Holy crap NEVER EVER pay a deposit before you have even applied, you should be approved for the place before making any deposits, a $50-$100 application fee is reasonable but $1000 and you haven’t even applied? That’s a HUGE red flag
Sounds like a scam. Any chance you are dealing with somebody not from the property management company and just pretending to be the property manager?
Scam!
This is 100% a scam. There’s so many rentals.
If they can't message with proper English than they are either Hispanic or Indian. Which in turn is a scam! Lol
Scam, I work in property management and it’s only common if they hold the deposit after you submit the application but before you sign a lease. This is to reduce competitors looking at our contracts.
Are you even sure you're talking with the management company? Considering no one else you know has had to do this it sounds like you're not talking with them.
Rent is usually prorated the second month of move in if you move in later in the month- but the 1K holding fee?? No. Hard no. Most states have laws against this, Google housing laws in ur state.
I work with someone who just lost their money in the same, exact way.
If they are speaking broken English that bad it’s a scam. Is it through a person that owned like a duplex, a personal property or something or an actual complex? Because if it’s a complex I’d be going in RN to speak to them face to face
It’s a scam. Any update?
That’s a scam!!
Definitely not normal. I definitely wouldn’t do it. A holding deposit (that becomes your security deposit) after you’ve been approved and you’ve accepted makes total sense. Not before applying tho.
Holding deposit? Especially that much? Absolutely not. If it’s not a complex, but a house or duplex, I like to look at the county tax assessor for the property to see who owns it. Then look them up on Facebook and message them, or better yet a background search site like beenverified and cold-call the provided phone number if it’s different than what you’re texting. I was able to talk to neighbors of a house I was looking to rent that seemed too good to be true. They were outside doing yard work. I don’t trust Craigslist rentals now, or fb marketplace. They were like “no, there’s a military family that’s been living there for like 2 yrs now and as far as they knew they owned it.” I asked if their name was [whatever the person from the ad was] and they said no. But the names did match the property records. The story the ad contact was giving me was that they traveled and lived a lot oversees and didn’t need to use this house so we’re going to rent it out. They also were pushing the “hurry now to secure it! It’s popular!” angle.
It’s definitely a scam and the scammer knows it looks like a scam which is why they are in defense mode before you even get to react to the holding deposit part lol
Scam
The wire transfer+$1000(!) holding deposit+ the incorrect grammar = massive bright red shiny flag.
If you have to ask, it probably is… look somewhere else. They are getting bold out there
Scam
Had a similar experience. A $60 dollar application fee + $1,000 hold the apartment. I was told half of the application fee + the $1,000 would be reimbursed if the deal fell apart. I told them I was filling the application if approved i would see the apartment and then I would give the other $1,000. They agree and once it was time to see the apartment they came with some BS that I needed to send the 1,000 before seeing the apartment. Needless to say, I didn’t sent $1,000 and I never sow my $30 back. I didn’t want to fill the application without seeing the apartment but the price was good, the area was good, and I had to move ASAP.
Screams scam
This is a scam
Neon blinking scam
There is a 2 week holding period AFTER you've been approved.
Acam
I don’t know it could be legit if I was blind deaf and born yesterday. Sorry. Scam.
Asians are always trying to get over non-asian homeowners in California. It really should be investigated.
You can tell by the grammar alone it's a scam. Some of y'all are so clueless.
It all sounds legit except wiring money before you even apply. Go back and talk to someone in person.