A landlord wants $600 before my cousin can view the flat. What would be enough verification?
Housing"To hold it until tomorrow, send $600 tonight," the person advertising the flat wrote. I said my cousin could view it the next afternoon. The answer came back: "I'm overseas. The video is the viewing."
I'm looking for a US rental because my current arrangement ends in ten days. This place is listed at $1,350, about $300 below the other flats I've shortlisted. The advertiser sent a video, a lease PDF and a picture of an identity document. I haven't independently confirmed who controls the property, and I can't tell when the video was taken. The payment would go to an individual whose name is different from the name on the proposed lease; the explanation is that his assistant collects deposits.
The [FTC's rental-scam guidance](https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/07/avoiding-rental-listing-scams) advises against paying for a property you haven't seen and suggests having a friend see it when you can't. I've arranged the cousin; the advertiser won't arrange access.
A genuine landlord could be abroad, and I may lose a real flat by waiting. But $600 would also eat most of the money I've set aside for a temporary room if this search fails. What can I reasonably verify within a day, and when should I stop treating the deadline as my problem to solve?