The Boston rental market is hyper-competitive, especially in popular student areas like Fenway, Symphony, Back Bay, and the South End. This high-stakes environment—where apartments near Northeastern, MCPHS, and other colleges lease in minutes—makes students prime targets for scammers.
If a listing seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is. Protect your money and identity by learning to recognize these five critical red flags before you send any application fees or deposits.
Red Flag 1: Unusually Low Rent for the Neighborhood
Scammers know students are price-sensitive. They will often hijack photos from legitimate, high-end listings and re-post them with a price that is thousands of dollars below market average.
- The Scam: You’ll see a spacious, renovated 2-bedroom in the Back Bay listed for the price of a cramped studio in Allston. The scammer’s goal is to make you rush the process to “secure the deal” before someone else does.
- How to Verify: Know your market. Use a trustworthy real estate platform (like ours!) or check public records for average rent in the exact neighborhood. If a unit near Northeastern is significantly cheaper than all similar listings, walk away immediately.
- Pro Tip: Use Google’s Reverse Image Search on the listing photos. If the pictures show up in an ad for a different city, or on a legitimate listing for a much higher price, it’s a scam.
Red Flag 2: Refusal to Meet or Show the Property
This is perhaps the biggest and most consistent warning sign. Scammers don’t have access to the apartment—because they don’t own it or manage it.
- The Scam: The supposed “landlord” will invent a dramatic story: “I got an overseas job transfer,” “I’m a missionary out of the country,” or “The keys are with a lawyer who needs a deposit first.” They will always pressure you to sign a lease and send money sight unseen.
- How to Verify: Always demand a live, in-person tour. If you are an out-of-state or international student, hire a trusted, licensed broker or ask a local friend to tour the unit on a live video call (e.g., FaceTime). The live tour should show the exterior, the entrance, and the unit number.
- The Exception: A legitimate, licensed broker (like those at Off-Campus Apartment Finder) will always be able to show you the property or provide a verified video tour.
Red Flag 3: Urgent Requests for Untraceable Payments
Legitimate landlords and real estate companies use secure, traceable payment methods. Scammers demand money that cannot be recovered.
- The Scam: The scammer asks you to send the security deposit or first month’s rent via wire transfer (Western Union, MoneyGram), cryptocurrency (Bitcoin), or gift cards. They often say this is a “secure method” via a fake intermediary (e.g., a “special Airbnb escrow”).
- How to Verify: Never wire money. Once you wire funds, they are gone forever. All legitimate payments in Boston (deposits, broker fees, rent) should be made via check, certified bank check, or a secure, established online portal after a lease is signed.
- Massachusetts Law: Remember, by law, a Massachusetts landlord can only collect First Month’s Rent, Last Month’s Rent, a Security Deposit (equal to one month’s rent), and the cost of a new lock and key.
Red Flag 4: No Background or Credit Check
Legitimate landlords want reliable tenants and will always screen applicants.
- The Scam: A scammer is only interested in your money, not your rental history. They will happily skip the entire application process, or they may ask for highly sensitive information (like your Social Security Number) on a fake, unsecured application to commit identity theft.
- How to Verify: Be wary of a landlord who seems too eager or doesn’t ask for any proof of income, a credit check, or co-signer information. A proper screening process is a sign of a legitimate operation. Only provide sensitive personal data on a secure platform after you have verified the broker/landlord’s identity.
Red Flag 5: The Contact Person Has Zero Digital Footprint
A professional real estate agent or established property management company will have an easily verifiable online presence.
- The Scam: The “agent” only communicates via a generic Gmail/Yahoo email address (e.g., rentalbostonowner@gmail.com), has no LinkedIn profile, and their phone number is not tied to any recognizable office or brokerage.
- How to Verify:
- Verify the License: If you are working with an agent, ask for their full name and license number. You can search the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons database to confirm they are licensed.
- Verify the Owner: You can often search the property address using the City of Boston Property Assessment records to confirm who legally owns the building. The name on the lease should match the legal owner or their authorized agent.
Your Safe Haven for Boston Off-Campus Rentals
As a Northeastern University approved Safe Haven, Off-Campus Apartment Finder ensures all listings are legitimate and all agents are licensed. We take the anxiety out of the apartment search so you can focus on your studies. Don’t risk your money on unverified listings.
Ready to find your verified off-campus apartment in Fenway, Symphony, or Back Bay? Start your search with a trusted agent today!
