When Alex Todd, his sister-in-law Natalie Ryffel, and their spouses needed a home to rent in Knoxville, Tennessee, they found a listing on Facebook Marketplace that was within their budget.
They contacted the landlord and asked for a showing, but they were told it was a self-viewing home — meaning the landlord didn’t meet Todd and Ryffel at the property to show them around.
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Rather, the landlord sent them the lockbox code for the property and told them to let themselves in and see if the home met their needs.
Once Todd and Ryffel confirmed they wanted the home and the move-in fees had been paid, the landlord once again sent them the lockbox code so they could move in. But it turned out to be a scam.
Todd and Ryffel are out $1,800, in addition to not having a place to live. "Nobody should have to go through this," said Ryffel to WATE 6 News.
Too good to be true
When Todd and Ryffel found a home on Facebook Marketplace, they didn’t spot any red flags throughout the process of seeing the home and moving in, they told WATE. It was only once they’d moved in that they learned they’d been victimized.
The landlord, Buh-laal Mustafa Hatim, spoke with Todd by phone and text message once he responded to the Facebook listing. Hatim allegedly wanted $850 a month for rent and sent Todd a contract that looked official.
"Every time I would talk to him and we would send money to him, he would shortly after send receipts via email," Todd said, adding he didn’t think anything was amiss. “He wanted payment through Chime. I figured, okay, he may not have an actual bank account."
Todd and Ryffel paid Hatim $1,800 — $850 for rent, $850 for a security deposit, and a $100 application fee.
“We paid him what we were supposed to pay him,” Ryffel told WATE. “We moved in the day before Easter.”
But a few days later, they received a notice from the realty company in charge of the property: “You are illegally residing at this property without the consent of the owner. You are instructed to vacate the property immediately.”
Now, the Todd and Ryffel families don’t have anywhere to go. And, as WATE discovered, the rental property was listed on another website for $1,350 a month, not $850.
As a gesture of goodwill, the actual realty company is giving Todd and Ryffel a free week-long stay at Woodspring Suites, an extended stay hotel. They plan to use that time to find a new rental. But the chances of them getting their $1,800 back are slim.
"You have people who work hard for that money, only for it to be gone," Ryffel said.
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What is a self-showing scam?
In 2024, the FBI received 9,359 complaints related to real estate fraud, and total losses for those types of scams totaled more than $173 million.
That number isn’t broken down by specific scam type, so it’s hard to know how many of those fraud reports stemmed from rental scams versus something else related to real estate. However, scammers are getting better and better at taking people’s money. So it’s important to know how to spot a rental scam so you can avoid it.
In a self-viewing rental scam, fraudsters find legitimate property listings on rental sites. Then they pretend to be working for the realty company in charge of renting the house out. They gain access to the lockbox by signing up for an account.
Then, they give prospective tenants access to the lockbox so they can do a self-guided tour, and then take their money once the tenant decides to move forward with the rental.
That’s why you should be very wary of any rental where a landlord or property manager won’t meet you in person.
What to look for
When you come across a listing, double-check to see if it appears on other sites. Zillow highlights some other red flags for renters to be mindful of:
- Money first: The property manager asks for the money up front, even before seeing the house.
- Too good to be true: If a one-bedroom goes for $1,500 a month in your area, and you see one listed for $900, it’s highly suspicious.
- Untraceable payments: If you’re being asked to send payments through an unconventional means that are untraceable, such as cash, crypto or gift cards, then move on.
In Todd and Ryffel’s case, they might have protected themselves by looking for a listing on other websites. Of course, a self-showing rental may be legitimate, but your best bet is to cross-reference the “for rent” sign and to call the available number posted so you can speak to the realty company in charge.
Even then, it’s not unreasonable to ask someone to meet you at the property, with their ID, so you can feel safe.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
