The owner who is out of the country
The person says they own the home but are working abroad, deployed, caring for a relative far away or on a mission trip. It is a sympathetic story with one purpose: to explain why you will never meet anyone before you pay.
How it usually goes
- 01A listing at an attractive rent
Often a whole house, sometimes with photos copied from a real listing.
- 02The owner is away
They say they moved overseas or out of state for work and are renting the place to someone trustworthy.
- 03No viewing is possible
You are told to drive by and look at the outside, or that a relative will handle things.
- 04Pay to secure itMoney moves
A deposit and first month’s rent are requested by wire, gift card, crypto or a payment app, with keys “mailed once payment clears”.
- 05The keys never arrive
After payment there are delays, extra fees, then silence.
What it sounds like
I'm currently out of the country for work so I can't show the inside, but you can drive by and look from the outside. Once you send the first month and deposit by wire transfer I will mail you the keys.
Payment pathmoney before you have seen the place
…drive by and look from the outside. Once you send the first month and deposit by wire transfer I will mail…The FTC reports scammers “pressure you for money upfront before you’ve even seen the place in person.” See inside first, in person or with someone you trust.
Source: Rental scams hit home with $65 million in reported losses (Data Spotlight, Dec 22, 2025)Payment pathasks for a wire transfer
…Once you send the first month and deposit by wire transfer I will mail you the keys.Wiring money is like sending cash: once it is picked up, it usually can’t be traced or reversed. The FTC says never wire money to anyone you haven’t met in person.
Source: What To Know if You Wire MoneyCheck thisowner says they are out of the country
I'm currently out of the country for work so I can't show the inside, but you…The FTC: when you ask to see the rental, “the fake owner will usually claim to be out of the country or give another excuse for not showing the property.”
Source: Rental Listing ScamsCheck thiswon’t show the inside
I'm currently out of the country for work so I can't show the inside, but you can drive by and look from……work so I can't show the inside, but you can drive by and look from the outside. Once you send the first…An excuse for not showing the property is part of the FTC’s description of fake listings. Don’t pay until someone you trust has been inside.
Source: Rental Listing ScamsCheck thiskeys sent by mail or courier
…month and deposit by wire transfer I will mail you the keys.Keys “in the mail” after you pay is how a no-show owner explains never meeting you. It is part of the owner-away pattern the FTC describes.
Source: Rental Listing ScamsCheck thisnobody you trust has been inside yet
You said · Seen inside: noThe FTC suggests looking at the property before you sign or pay, in person or with someone you know, while noting that even a tour is not a guarantee.
Source: Rental Listing ScamsWhat to do
- Ask for a viewing with someone local who can open the door. A real owner who is away usually has a property manager, agent or friend who can.
- Look up the owner of record on the county’s property site and ask how the person you’re talking to is connected to it.
- Never wire money, buy gift cards or send crypto for a rental. The FTC says only scammers insist on those.
- If you already paid, call your bank or the transfer company now and ask them to reverse it, then report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Why this works, and what is normal
The FTC’s description of fake listings includes this exact move: when you ask to see the rental, “the fake owner will usually claim to be out of the country or give another excuse for not showing the property — then rush you into making a quick decision.”
An owner can genuinely be abroad. What matters is whether anyone local can show you inside and whether the payment goes somewhere traceable. If the answer to both is no, you are being asked to trust a story.
Warning signs
- The owner says they are overseas, deployed or relocated
- You can only see the outside
- Keys will be mailed or couriered after payment
- A relative or “assistant” collects the money
Paste it into Before-You-Pay. It quotes the triggers from your own text and never sends it anywhere.