How to verify a Phuket landlord or agency before paying

Every «I paid and the apartment didn't exist» story follows one script: money sent to a stranger without verification. This checklist closes 99% of the risk in about ten minutes.

The 5-minute basics

• A real web presence: site with addresses, prices and a catalogue — one-day scammers don't build these
• Reviews outside their own page: Google Maps, forums, expat groups. Look for a years-long history, not five fresh raves
• A registered business in the footer or contract — legitimate companies show their legal details openly (ours are in the site footer)

Before the transfer

• Video call from the unit — the killer test: a scammer cannot walk you through rooms he doesn't control. Ask them to open the window and show the view
• Contract before money — dates, unit number, price, cancellation terms; refusal to send one ends the conversation. What it must contain: contract guide
• Payee matches the contract party — not a «friend's account»

Red flags — walk away

• Price 30–40% below comparable listings
• Pressure: «someone else will take it within the hour»
• Photos found on other sites via reverse image search
• Communication only in a social-media DM, no site, no company name

All six common schemes are dissected in rental scams in Phuket. Prefer skipping the due diligence? Our catalogue is pre-verified — contract and free cancellation are standard.