Ever scroll through Instagram or TikTok and suddenly stop in your tracks because you see a beautiful apartment for rent for only $1,100 a month?

The listing looks real … because it is. The real estate agent appears legitimate … because the person is real. But it’s only after you pay the “refundable” $350 application fee that you learn the truth: It’s a scam.

“I knew it in my gut but I double checked everything, looked him up, my friend checked too … it all seemed so legitimate,” Jenny Diaz, 28, said.

Earlier this year, Diaz landed a new job and was ready to live on her own. Her friend sent her an Instagram post — a video of what looked like the perfect Manhattan apartment. The profile had more than 27,000 followers, making it feel credible.

“It’s so hard to find apartments. I was using

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