Evicted Tenant Charged After Fraudulently Listing Landlord's Home for Rent in Retaliation

Our take

While this case unfolded in the United States, it carries a clear warning for South African landlords, tenants, and property seekers alike. Fraudulent rental listings are a growing problem locally — scammers routinely scrape legitimate property photos from platforms like Liivra and repost them at suspiciously low prices to harvest deposits from desperate renters. For landlords and property managers, the takeaway is to periodically search your own address online to check whether your property has been listed without your knowledge. If you find a fraudulent listing, report it to the platform immediately and open a case with the South African Police Service. For prospective tenants, the golden rule remains: never pay a deposit or advance rent without physically viewing the property and verifying the landlord's identity. On Liivra, all landlords go through identity verification, which significantly reduces the risk of impersonation scams. Agents registered with the EAAB also carry an added layer of accountability. If a deal looks too good to be true — it almost certainly is. Trust your instincts and use verified platforms.