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The fake rental scam: the deposit goes, the house does not exist

A holiday house or a flat at a great price asks for a Pix deposit to hold the dates. The place does not exist or is not the advertiser's. Here is how to spot it.

Also called: fake rental, holiday rental scam.

How it works

  1. The scammer lists a place with copied photos, in a group, on social media or a site.
  2. They say demand is high and only a deposit holds the dates.
  3. They take the Pix and disappear. On holidays and in summer, the scam grows.

Where it usually starts: social media, marketplace, messaging app.

How it arrives on Bipe. Simulation with sample people and messages.

The real message

The real company never asks for a code, a password or a Pix to a personal key. On Bipe, it will show the seal and its CNPJ (coming soon).

The real message. Simulation with sample people and messages.

How to spot it

  • The price is well below others in the area.
  • You cannot visit first, because the owner is far away.
  • The Pix goes to someone else's name.

What to do

  • Visit the place before you pay, or send someone you trust.
  • Prefer an agency or a site with protected payment.
  • Already paid? Keep screenshots, the Pix key and the account name and file a police report.

How Bipe helps

Each item shows where it stands on iPhone and Android.

Verified seal

A seal with a name verified through Pix or gov.br, so you know who is on the other side.

iPhone: Coming soon · Android: Coming soon

Scam warnings

A warning shows under a message that looks like a scam, such as a rushed Pix, a new number or a boleto. It is on by default, with nothing to set up.

iPhone: In the test app · Android: In development

A pause before paying

On a suspicious money request, copy and pay stay locked for 5 seconds, to break the scam's rush.

iPhone: Coming soon · Android: Coming soon

What Bipe does not solve here

The ad is on another site. The seal proves who the person is, not that the place is theirs.

Bipe only protects the chats that happen in Bipe. If someone in the family still uses another app, a scammer can write to them there.

Who describes this scam

Official pages with the scam's script and what to do.

Other common scams

Scams in Brazil in numbers

Where these numbers come from

Researched on 13 October 2026. We only use numbers that have a source. Surveys by a company or a private association are marked as such.