Reporting a rental scam in San Francisco
Save screenshots, the listing URL, messages, payment records, names, phone numbers, and any contract. Report the listing to the platform or group administrator so it can be removed. Report fraud to local law enforcement, the FTC, and the California attorney general.
If you gave bank, identity, or credit information, contact the relevant institution immediately and follow identity-theft guidance. Do not pay anyone who claims they can recover your money for an upfront fee.
Reporting is useful even if the money cannot be recovered. It helps stop the same listing from reaching the next renter.
Source: FTC ReportFraud guidance.