Should I ever pay a deposit before signing a lease?

A small holding deposit to take a unit off the market while paperwork gets finalized is common once you've verified the landlord and seen the unit, but paying a full deposit or rent before a signed lease exists is a real risk. Verify the landlord's identity and actual ownership of the property through county records before sending any money, regardless of how urgent they make it seem. Being pressured to wire funds before signing anything is one of the clearest warning signs of a rental scam.