The most common scams
- Fake listings. Attractive photos copied from elsewhere, priced well below similar houses in the area, to collect deposits from several people.
- Deposit before viewing. The "landlord" is always travelling and asks you to send a deposit to reserve the house before you see it.
- Double letting. The same house is let to more than one tenant, each of whom pays a deposit.
- Unauthorised middlemen. Someone with access to the house, but no authority from the owner, collects rent or deposits.
Warning signs
- The price is far below what similar houses nearby cost.
- You are pressured to pay quickly because "many people are interested".
- Payment is requested to a personal number instead of the property's paybill or till.
- The contact cannot show you the inside of the house, or refuses a written agreement.
Checks that protect you
- View the house in person before paying anything.
- Ask neighbours or the caretaker who the landlord is and whether the house is genuinely vacant.
- Pay only through a channel in the property's or landlord's registered name, and keep the M-Pesa confirmation.
- Get a signed tenancy agreement that names the landlord or managing agent.
- Prefer listings that are verified and managed on a platform where payments are recorded.
If you have been scammed
Report it to the police with your payment records, and contact your mobile money provider immediately. A transaction reported quickly is easier to trace.