Signals we check
Every rent check pulls a fixed set of signals out of the listing. Each signal adds points to the scam score when it fires. The points stay small enough that no single flag tips a listing into "suspicious" on its own.
URL patterns
Posted to a classifieds site
+15
Matches Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Hotpads, or similar. Classifieds hosts have higher scam rates than Zillow or Realtor.com, so we surface the source as a baseline caution.
Shortened URL
+20
The link uses bit.ly, tinyurl, t.co, or another redirector. Shorteners hide the destination — paste the real listing URL if you have it.
URL redirects to a login page
+25
The address routes through /auth/, /login/, /signin/, or /account/. Legitimate listings don't gate viewing behind a sign-in.
Price signals
Rent below 60% of market median
+30
We compare the listed rent against the median of comparable rentals within ~1.5 miles. Anything below 60% of that median is the single biggest scam flag we see.
Rent above 140% of market median
+5
Heads-up only: the rent is unusually high for the area. Verify what you actually get for it.
Contact signals
Free email (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.)
+15
The contact uses Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, Outlook, AOL, iCloud, or similar. Professional landlords usually write from a company domain.
Generic address pattern
+10
Firstname-lastname-style aliases with no apparent tie to a real person make it hard to verify the landlord outside the listing itself.
No-reply address
+10
"noreply"-style addresses can't answer questions. A landlord who can't be reached by email is a strong scam signal.
Address signals
Vague address (no street number or cross-streets only)
+15
Phrases like "near X" or "corner of Y and Z" with no real number. Hard to verify, easy to fabricate.
No contact information provided at all
+10
Address-only checks with no email and no listing URL. Real listings almost always include a phone or email.
How scores combine
Every signal that fires adds its points to the total. The total is then capped at 100. We surface the top four reasons in each report — that's why a high score may list fewer flags than the points suggest. The four-reason cap keeps the report readable; the score itself still reflects every signal.
Verdict thresholds
The total score maps to one of three verdicts. The same color coding is used across check reports so a glance tells you where a listing sits.
0–39
ClearNo unusual signals found.
40–69
CautionSome flags — verify the landlord before sending money.
70+
SuspiciousHigh scam likelihood — proceed only with strong verification.
What we don't do
An automated score is not a guarantee. The signals above are heuristics tuned for the most common patterns — they don't catch everything, and a sophisticated scam may slip past. The final call is yours: confirm the landlord's identity, never wire money to someone you haven't verified, and treat any pressure to send payment up front as a red flag regardless of score.
RentRoof scores the listing you paste at the moment you paste it. New listings or pricing edits are not retroactively rescored.