Scammers are copying real Katy-area home listings on Facebook Marketplace, posing as landlords and collecting deposits on properties they have no right to rent, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office (FBCSO) warns.

The agency said it has seen an increase in rental property scams on the platform affecting Katy residents, according to Katy Magazine. Fraudsters use photos from legitimate listings, pose as property owners or leasing agents and price homes well below market to lure victims.

They then ask for an application fee, security deposit or first month's rent before the victim ever sees the property. Many make excuses for not meeting in person, such as claiming to live out of town.

FBCSO said some scammers go further, providing real addresses, fake applications and copied lease documents to make the scheme look legitimate. Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan urged residents to stay alert and double-check before sharing personal information, saying the agency has seen a growing number of scams targeting the community.

Kerri Shultz, a realtor with Keller Williams Realty Premier Properties, said the safest approach is to avoid the platform entirely for housing. "The best way to avoid becoming a victim is to work with a reputable agent and use sites like HAR.com or Zillow," Shultz told Katy Magazine. "Never use Facebook."

How to spot a rental scam

FBCSO shared several warning signs for renters:

  • If a rental price looks too good for the neighborhood, treat it as a red flag.
  • Look up the property address on other sites. A home listed under a different name or price elsewhere signals trouble.
  • Confirm the person offering the property actually owns it or has authority to lease it.
  • A landlord who keeps dodging an in-person showing is a warning sign.
  • Never wire money, send gift cards or pay through Zelle, Cash App or cryptocurrency to hold a rental.

Fake warrant calls also targeting residents

Rental fraud is not the only scheme hitting the area. Officials in Fort Bend, Harris and Waller counties have reported residents receiving calls and texts demanding immediate payment to avoid arrest, according to Katy Magazine.

In those calls, scammers impersonate law enforcement and use personal details such as home addresses and workplaces to sound credible. In recent reports, a caller used the name of an actual FBCSO employee and claimed the victim had a warrant for missing a federal jury summons. The caller directed the victim to pay through PayPal.

The stakes can be steep. One Fort Bend County woman lost $50,000 in a similar scheme on Aug. 28, according to an FBCSO press release. A caller posing as an FBCSO captain told her she had warrants for failing to appear for federal jury duty. Kept on the phone and told she was under a "gag order," she withdrew $50,000 in cash and deposited it at a Bitcoin ATM through several cryptocurrency transactions before becoming suspicious.

She reported the incident to FBCSO.

In a Sept. 9 press release, Fagan said the agency will never demand money to resolve a warrant or avoid arrest. He urged anyone who receives such a call to hang up and contact the agency directly using a verified phone number.

FBCSO has launched "Scam Sunday," a weekly public education campaign sharing information about current scams and how to avoid them.