Before you transfer a deposit: 5 checks

Saw a Facebook or LINE listing that looks too good? Most rental scams we read about in Thailand this year follow the same script: a nice photo, a chat-only "landlord" who is abroad, and a request for a deposit or "booking fee" before you have seen anything. Five checks before any money moves: 1. Reverse-image search the photos. 2. View the unit in person, or on a live video call where they walk the room you will rent. 3. Ask for the title deed (chanote) or condo unit title and check the name matches the ID of the person you are paying. 4. Ask the building's juristic office whether the unit is really for rent. 5. Sign a written contract first, then pay into an account in the owner's name, and keep the receipt. Already paid? Report it at thaipoliceonline.go.th, call the 1441 anti-online-scam hotline and ask your bank to freeze the transfer as fast as you can. Full red-flag table and checklist: https://elefymove.com/en-US/blog/rental-scams-thailand-red-flags-verify-listing-2026