Scammers are stealing deposits from Fort Bend County renters through fake property listings on Facebook Marketplace and TikTok, law enforcement agencies warned Thursday, Oct. 15.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office and Sugar Land Police Department said fraudsters copy real rental listings, manipulate photos with artificial intelligence and forge documents to make the properties look available, KHOU first reported. Victims hand over application fees and deposits for homes they will never occupy. The warning applies to renters across the county, including Missouri City and Stafford, where the sheriff's office has jurisdiction.

The scams are growing. Fort Bend County Detective Jason Bell said renters should cross-check any listing that seems priced too low.

"Verify that if you find a property that's listed at a usually low price, try to search that property on other listings. Verify that the contact information is consistent," Bell told KHOU.

Joey Williams, a Realtor with the Christin Rachelle Group, said scammers have grown more sophisticated. They copy legitimate listings, alter the photos with artificial intelligence and repost them on the same platforms real agents use. Once a renter takes the bait, Williams said, the scammer demands a deposit and pushes for an immediate move-in.

Lauren Stockholm, a crime prevention officer with the Sugar Land Police Department, advised renters to trust their instincts. If a deal looks too good to be true, she said, it probably is.

What to watch for

Authorities and real estate professionals identified several red flags, according to KHOU's reporting:

  • Deposit or fee requests through Cash App, Venmo or gift cards
  • Pressure to sign a lease or send money right away
  • Refusal to let a prospective renter tour the property in person
  • Requests for sensitive personal information before a formal application
  • Rental prices well below comparable properties in the area

Bell advised renters to verify the advertiser's identity and confirm a property is actually available before sending any money.

How to report

Anyone who believes they have been targeted should save copies of messages, payment receipts and listing screenshots, then report the incident to local law enforcement.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office also runs a weekly "Scam Sunday" education campaign, announced in a Sept. 9 media release, that highlights current scam tactics each week. Residents can also file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General's consumer protection division.

The sheriff's office non-emergency line is 281-341-4665.