Shield Yourself from Rental Scams in London: AI-Age Safety

An urgent, data-led guide to the new wave of London rental scams amplified by AI and proptech. Scammers now use deepfaked photos, cloned agent profiles and falsified tenancy documents to extract holding deposits, steal IDs or pressure renters into illegal lets. This article summarises the 2025–26 reporting trends from national bodies and portals, explains how the scams work, and gives a practical verification checklist you can use today.

Why this matters now (2025–26 trends at a glance)

Across 2025 and into 2026, law‑enforcement and financial bodies have highlighted a clear shift in rental fraud methods. Action Fraud, UK Finance and major property portals report a growing share of cases where artificial intelligence and automated proptech tools are being weaponised to make bogus adverts look convincing and to impersonate legitimate agents.

Key trends reported in 2025–26:

• Increased use of AI‑generated or heavily edited photos and floorplans to fabricate attractive interiors for non‑existent listings.
• Cloned agent identities: scammers copy agency logos, build fake agent profiles on portals and use convincing email signatures and phone numbers that route to VOIP or burner phones.
• Falsified tenancy paperwork and deposit receipts that look professionally prepared but cannot be verified against Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) schemes or the landlord’s records.
• A rise in victims losing holding deposits and upfront fees by paying into private accounts rather than a company account.

If you want official guidance on reporting or prevention, bookmark these sources:

• Action Fraud guidance on rental fraud: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
• UK Finance guidance on fraud and scams: https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/
• GOV.UK: Tenancy deposit protection rules: https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection
• Land Registry property information search: https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry
• Companies House company information: https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company

(Where I reference portal tools and campaign responses, those are based on the public responses portals have issued throughout 2025–26 encouraging verification and reporting.)

How scammers use AI and proptech — real techniques to watch for

Understanding the tools helps you spot the pattern. Common techniques in 2025–26 include:

• Deepfaked photos and staged interiors: high‑quality AI edits or entirely synthetic images make a cheap flat look refurbished. Reverse image search often fails when images are generated from scratch.
• Photo‑based consistency errors: lighting, shadows and perspective that don’t match across photos (a tell for synthetic generation).
• Cloned agent profiles and fake websites: scammers copy an agency’s branding, set up a similar domain (for example rightmove-agencyname.com) and create email addresses that look legitimate but aren’t linked to the actual company.
• Falsified deposit certificates and tenancy contracts: criminals produce professional PDFs that include forged TDP reference numbers or fake company registration numbers.
• Pressure tactics backed with fake urgency: “I have five people interested — pay a holding deposit now” — used to rush you into paying without checks.

These are not theoretical: many reports in 2025–26 show fraudsters combining multiple techniques — AI visuals to lure you in, cloned identities to persuade you, and falsified paperwork to close the trap.

Practical verification checklist — step by step

Use this checklist every time you find a listing you like. Copy it to your phone for viewings.

1) Verify the listing and photos

• Reverse image search: upload the main images to Google Images or TinEye. If the same image appears elsewhere with different addresses, treat it suspiciously.
• Inspect photos closely: look for inconsistent reflections, duplicated textures, or objects that appear twice — common signs of AI generation.
• Ask for a video walkthrough: a short live video call from inside the flat (not a pre‑recorded clip) helps confirm the property exists and the person has access.

2) Confirm the agent or landlord identity

• Find the agent on Companies House: search the company name and registration number at Companies House (https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company). Confirm the company address, director names and that the company is active.
• Call the agency using a published landline from their official website (not the number given in the advert). If the number on the ad differs from the one on the agency website, it’s a red flag.
• Cross‑check the agent’s email domain: legitimate agents usually use a company domain (e.g., alice@agencyname.co.uk), not generic email (gmail/yahoo) for official communications. That said, some small landlords use personal email — but combine this with other checks.

3) Check property ownership with Land Registry

• Use the Land Registry search (https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry) to see the registered owner. If the agent claims to act for 'Mr X', the Land Registry title should match or evidence of an agency agreement should be provided.
• For flats, check whether the property is leasehold and who the freeholder is — that can explain if a landlord is a management company.

4) Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) check

• Ask for the deposit protection certificate and the TDP scheme reference before you pay. Every deposit must be protected in one of the recognised schemes in England and Wales (see https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection).
• Contact the TDP scheme directly (TDS, DPS or MyDeposits) to confirm the protection number if anything looks off.

5) Payment and holding deposit rules

• Under the Tenant Fees Act (England), holding deposits should be no more than one week’s rent. Do not pay more.
• Never transfer a holding deposit to a personal bank account. It should be paid to the agency’s business account or via a recognised payment method that’s traceable (card, bank transfer to company account).
• Get a written receipt that includes the payee, the account, the listing reference, and the conditions for refund if the landlord withdraws the property.

6) Verify tenancy paperwork

• Request a draft tenancy agreement and read it carefully. Check landlord/agent names, company registration numbers and signatures.
• Cross‑check the EPC (Energy Performance Certificate), PAT testing receipts (if applicable), and gas safety certificates against the property details. Ask for originals at the viewing.

7) Use portal verification tools and report concerns

• Major portals provide “report listing” tools and often add verification badges or agent verification processes. Use these tools if a listing looks suspicious.
• If an advert is on multiple portals, compare listings: identical wording across many towns may indicate a mass scam.

8) Safe viewing protocols

• Always view in person where possible. If the agent insists on only online interaction, insist on a live video tour and local references.
• Bring someone with you or tell a friend/family where you’re going. Share a live location if possible.
• Meet outside the agency office first if you feel unsure. Real agents will usually have a physical office and ID.
• Note meter numbers and the locks on the front and back doors; if you see a property full of posters or different phone numbers on doors, it may be illegal subletting.

9) Digital ID tips

• Use recognised digital ID providers when requested (Yoti, Jumio and similar services are used by legitimate agencies). These services verify documents without forcing you to email passport pictures insecurely.
• If an agency asks you to email sensitive ID to a non‑company Gmail account, refuse and ask for an official, secure portal.
• For identity verification via video, ask the agent which provider they use and check reviews.

10) Escalation and reporting

• If you suspect fraud: report the listing to the portal, contact Action Fraud (https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/), and inform your bank immediately if you’ve sent money.
• If you lost money, contact UK Finance for guidance (https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/) and consider a chargeback through your card provider.
• Inform the real estate agency (if cloned) so they can alert their customers and report the impersonation.

Examples and red flags — short scenarios to learn from

• AI‑photo bait: A high‑end flat in Hackney pops up with glossy images but when the renter asks for a live video the agent delays, offering “an alternative flat” instead. Red flags: refusal of live viewing, high urgency, and payment to a personal account.

• Cloned profile trick: A scammer copies a well‑known agency’s branding and posts the listing on a portal. The phone number routes to a VOIP number and the email is a close misspelling of the agency domain. Red flags: domain/email mismatch, different contact details from the agency website.

• Fake TDP certificate: The landlord sends a PDF TDP receipt with a reference number. The renter pays, moves in, then finds the certificate cannot be validated by the TDP scheme. Red flags: inability to validate the TDP reference, requests to pay to a private account, and pressure to move in quickly.

These anonymised scenarios mirror the patterns being flagged by reporting agencies in 2025–26. The common theme is urgency + payment to unverifiable accounts + reluctance to meet in person or provide verifiable documents.

What to do if you’ve been scammed

• Report right away to Action Fraud (https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/) and your local police if you are in immediate danger.
• Contact your bank immediately. If you paid by card, you may be able to request a chargeback or bank reversal; speed matters.
• Report the listing to the portal and ask them to remove it and share details with other users.
• If the scam used a cloned company name, alert Companies House about the misuse of company details (https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company).
• Keep all communications, bank receipts and screenshots — these are crucial for police and bank investigations.

How the market changes affect your risk — and where renters can win

London’s rental market is re‑wiring after policy shifts including tighter controls on short‑term lets. Changes in supply and demand create opportunities and risks: more competition for desirable homes can increase pressure tactics from scams, but more transparency drives portals and local councils to invest in better verification.

If you’re deciding where to search, read our round‑up on neighbourhoods and how policy changes affect supply: Top 10 Areas for Young Professionals in London 2025. And for context on how short‑term let crackdowns are reshaping supply (which affects scam patterns too), see How London’s Short‑Term Let Crackdown Is Rewiring the 2026 Rental Market — Where Renters Can Win.

Extra checks for more cautious renters

• Ask for official company ID or badge at the viewing and photograph it (with the agent’s consent).
• Look up council tax records online to match the property location and band; mismatches may indicate subletting or an unregistered HMO.
• For HMOs, check the local council’s HMO licensing register; landlords of licensable HMOs must hold a licence.

Final practical tips — keep these front of mind

• Never pay cash or to a private account without documentary proof of ownership.
• One week’s rent maximum for holding deposits in England — ask for the holding deposit policy in writing.
• If something feels rushed, step back. Genuine agents and landlords expect reasonable checks and are usually happy to wait for you to confirm.
• Keep digital records — screenshots of listings (with URLs and timestamps) help prove what you saw if you need to report.

Where to get help and more information

• Action Fraud – report fraud and get prevention advice: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
• UK Finance – fraud advice and bank contact guidance: https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/
• GOV.UK guidance on tenancy deposits and landlord responsibilities: https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection
• Land Registry property checks: https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry
• Companies House company lookups: https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company
• Citizens Advice on renting and deposits: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

If you follow the verification checklist above and keep the golden rules—verify identity, validate paperwork, never rush payments—you’ll dramatically reduce your risk of falling victim to the AI‑assisted rental scams emerging across London in 2025–26. Stay vigilant, share suspicious adverts with the portals and law enforcement, and always insist on verifiable, traceable transactions.

Stay safe and happy house‑hunting.