Educational Scenario: This is a fictional case study created for educational purposes. Business details are not real, but the attack methods and impacts represent documented cybersecurity threats.
Property Management Tenant Information Scam
Attackers spoofed a property management company's domain to collect tenant SSNs and financial information through fake lease renewal requests.
Fake Lease Renewal Campaign
September 15, 2024Tenants received emails appearing from property management requesting updated financial information for lease renewals
Information Collection
September 25, 2024Criminals collected tenant applications with SSNs, employment details, and bank account information
Tenant Complaints
October 5, 2024Multiple tenants called asking about duplicate lease renewal notices and confusing application requirements
Identity Theft Reports
October 12, 2024First reports of tenants experiencing identity theft and fraudulent rental applications at other properties
Full Scope Discovery
October 20, 2024Investigation revealed 160 tenants had provided complete identity and financial information to criminals
Potential Impact Analysis
$150,000 in tenant notification costs, credit monitoring, legal fees, and lost rental income
5 weeks of crisis management, manual verification of all tenant communications, staff retraining
25% tenant turnover, negative online reviews, difficulty attracting new tenants
State real estate commission investigation, tenant lawsuits, potential property management license issues
Attack Method
Property management domain spoofing to harvest tenant identity information through fake lease renewal processes
Common Vulnerabilities
- No DMARC policy protecting property management domain
- Tenants accustomed to email requests for lease renewals
- No secure tenant portal for application submissions
- Similar domain name registered by criminals
Types of Data at Risk
- Tenant Social Security numbers
- Employment and income information
- Bank account details for rent payments
- Previous rental history and references
- Emergency contact information
- Tenants readily provide sensitive information for lease processes
- Property management involves handling significant personal data
- Rental applications contain complete identity theft profiles
- Small property management firms often lack cybersecurity resources
- Implement DMARC email authentication for property management domain
- Never request tenant financial information via email
- Use secure tenant portals for all lease-related communications
- Train staff to recognize and report email spoofing attempts
- Regular tenant education about legitimate communication methods
The property management company faced significant tenant turnover and struggled to maintain occupancy rates. They implemented new cybersecurity measures but continued to face challenges rebuilding tenant trust. The incident led to increased awareness about cybersecurity in the property management industry.
Protect Your Business from These Threats
This scenario shows how these attacks can be prevented with proper email security measures. Get a free scan to see if your business is vulnerable.