I already paid a scammer -- what should I do now?

If you sent money to someone for a rental on an Opendoor property, you were scammed. We are sorry this happened to you. Opendoor does not rent homes, and the person you paid has no connection to us.

Time matters. The sooner you take action, the better your chances of recovering your money. Follow these steps right now.

Step 1: Contact your bank or payment provider

Call your bank, credit card company, or payment app immediately. Tell them the payment was fraudulent and request a reversal or dispute.

• Wire transfers: Contact your bank's fraud department and ask them to recall the wire. Speed is critical -- recalls become harder after 24-48 hours.
• Zelle or Venmo: Open a dispute through the app and contact their support teams directly.
• Credit or debit card: File a chargeback with your card issuer.

Important: If you paid in cash or cryptocurrency, recovery is extremely difficult. File reports with law enforcement anyway -- your case may help investigators identify the scammer.

Step 2: File a police report

Go to your local police department and file a report. Bring all evidence: screenshots of the listing, text and email conversations with the scammer, and payment receipts. A police report is often required by banks to process fraud disputes.

Step 3: Report to the FTC

File a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The Federal Trade Commission uses these reports to track and prosecute fraud.

Step 4: Report the fake listing

Flag the listing on the platform where you found it -- Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Zillow, or elsewhere. Getting the listing removed protects other people.

Step 5: Contact Opendoor

Call 888-352-7075 or email support@opendoor.com to let us know what happened. We will document the scam, work to take down the listing, and help prevent this from happening to others.

Warning: Be cautious of "recovery scams." Scammers may contact you again claiming they can get your money back for a fee. This is another scam. No legitimate organization charges upfront fees to recover stolen funds.

I shared personal information with a scammer

If you gave a scammer your personal details -- such as your Social Security number, bank account information, ID photos, or login credentials -- take these steps to protect yourself from identity theft and further fraud.

• Freeze your credit with all three bureaus. Contact each bureau directly to place a credit freeze, which prevents anyone from opening new accounts in your name:
  • Equifax -- equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services or call 800-685-1111
  • Experian -- experian.com/freeze or call 888-397-3742
  • TransUnion -- transunion.com/credit-freeze or call 888-909-8872
• Place a fraud alert on your credit reports. You only need to contact one bureau -- they are required to notify the other two. A fraud alert makes it harder for someone to open accounts in your name.
• Visit IdentityTheft.gov to report the theft and create a recovery plan. The site will walk you through personalized steps based on exactly what information was compromised.
• Monitor your bank and credit card statements closely. Watch for unauthorized charges or withdrawals over the coming weeks and months. Report anything suspicious to your bank immediately.
• Change passwords for any accounts you shared with the scammer. If you reused those passwords on other accounts, change those as well. Use strong, unique passwords for each account.
• If you shared photos or scans of your ID or driver's license, contact your state's DMV to report potential identity fraud. They can flag your record and, in some states, issue a replacement with a new number.