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A tight rental market in Western Australia has seen scammers posing as landlords on social media, with renters losing more than $50,000 to fraudulent listings last year.
The Cook government has warned Western Australian (WA) renters after the state watchdog observed a surge in rental scams.
According to WA ScamNet, there has been a growing number of reports from victims who paid money to secure a rental only to discover they had been scammed.
The watchdog said scammers were exploiting renters’ vulnerability, posing as private landlords on social media platforms and other marketplaces offering low rents.
To make the scam more realistic, WA ScamNet said that fraudsters were using stolen photos of real properties in their advertisements.
Victims were then given an address to do a drive-by, but any request to inspect inside would be met with excuses.
Scammers then pressured renters to pay bonds and upfront rent via bank transfer, sometimes using fake rental agreements with the WA government logo to appear legitimate.
Renters would only discover they had been scammed when they went to collect the keys to a property that was already occupied or for sale.
WA ScamNet said that the rental scam had increased, with a total of $51,875 stolen from 20 victims in 2025, up from $39,935 and 16 victims in 2024.
WA Commerce Minister Dr Tony Buti said that scammers were targeting renters ready to risk it to secure a property in a tight market.
"It is particularly heartbreaking to see scammers are targeting renters because they know they are under pressure and may take risks to secure a property,” Buti said.
"To avoid rental scammers, insist on inspecting the property in person and treat unusually cheap rent as a red flag.”
To avoid rental scams, the WA government urged renters to be cautious about properties priced well below market value, to never rely solely on photos, and to verify listings through real estate websites or previous agents.
It also encouraged renters to inspect the property in person, deal only with landlords or licensed agents in person, confirm lease agreements and keys before paying, and avoid direct bank transfers unless you’re certain the payment is legitimate.
"I urge people stay one step ahead of these scammers by arming themselves with knowledge of the rental process in WA using the fact sheets and approved forms available on the Consumer Protection website,” Buti concluded.
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