Minnesota Housing Agency Impersonated in Scam on Facebook

Scammers impersonated the Minnesota Housing agency this week in hopes of directing Minnesotans to nonexistent housing and vouchers.

Minnesota Housing officials said in a press release Monday the agency was impersonated in a Facebook scam this week about open wait lists for people seeking housing or Section 8/Housing Choice vouchers. The fraudulent Facebook page has been taken down.

The perpetrators of the scam, posing as the state agency, used alternate identities including “Minnesota Housing Authority” and “Minnesota Housing Development Authority” to lure people to apply for nonexistent housing units and vouchers either online or in person. Unsuspecting people who followed the links were asked for personally identifiable information that if provided, put them at risk for identity theft.

Minnesota Housing says it does not manage housing wait lists and does not issue housing vouchers. Similar disinformation campaigns have targeted housing agencies, authorities, and organizations in multiple states in recent weeks.