My friend's landlord was fake. The apartment was real. The deposit was gone.
This happened in Hangzhou. October 2025. My friend Zhang (pseudonym) found an apartment on a trading platform. Rent was cheaper than market rate. Photos looked great.The "landlord" said he was out of town and couldn't show the unit in person. But he sent the address and door code. Zhang went, checked it out. Clean. Well-located. Legitimate.
The trap:
The "landlord" asked for an "intention payment" to hold the unit. Sent what looked like a property ownership certificate.
Zhang paid.
Then got blocked.
Turns out the scammer had watched real estate agents enter door codes in front of prospective tenants, memorized the passwords, recorded apartment videos, and posed as the landlord online.
What the police found:
They arrested a guy named Tang who was literally asking an AI chatbot: "My friend forged a landlord identity and cheated someone. What should he do?"
Yes. He asked AI for legal advice after committing fraud.
How to not be Zhang:
• Never pay before seeing the landlord in person. No exceptions.
• Verify the ownership certificate. Ask to see the original 房产证, not a photo.
• Check the ID. The landlord's name on the contract must match the property certificate.
• Pay via bank transfer, not WeChat. Bank records are traceable.
• If it's 30% below market rate, it's a scam. Period.
The 2025 regulation change:
China introduced new housing rental regulations in September 2025. The SAMR model contract now requires explicit deposit return conditions. If your contract says "deposit will be handled after check-out" without specifics, that's a red flag.
The real protection:
Use verified platforms like Ziroom or Lianjia. Pay more. Sleep better.
Anyone else encountered a rental scam? How did you handle it?
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