What can I offer tenants in exchange for their Deposit to Hold?

[Nicholas Lohr]

I'm trying to think about this from the tenant perspective.  What can I offer them besides that single document piece of paper in exchange for them paying me the deposit to hold money?  For example, how do I prove to them that I didn't just acquire a key to an empty building somewhere and showed them a unit that I didn't even own?

[Bob B.]

Most of these scams are not done in person.  The scammer hides behind fake email accounts and craigslist.  I've never had someone ask me if I own the property and if they did I would gladly show them the county tax records.