ShowMojo & Your Data: What We Ask (and Why) Before a Tour
If you’re a prospective renter scheduling a showing through ShowMojo and have questions about your data, you’re in the right place.
We’ll cover:
Just How Legit is ShowMojo?
ShowMojo was founded in 2011, and today, it’s the Leasing Automation platform of choice for over 1.2 million properties in the United States.
More than 100 property managers and prospects have gone on record on our testimonials page to rave about their positive experiences with ShowMojo.
And another 23 PMs actually took time out of their absurdly busy schedules for an interview, which you can read through on our case studies page.
All this to say, if you’re filling out a pre-showing questionnaire on ShowMojo, you can rest assured that your information is in good hands.
Still, we don’t expect you to trust us just because we’ve been around since before the iPhone 5. Let’s address the most common questions prospective tenants have when filling out ShowMojo-hosted showing questionnaires.
How ShowMojo Keeps Your Data Safe
ShowMojo only asks for what’s needed to schedule your tour. This is typically:
- Your name
- Phone
- Plus a few screening questions, so the system doesn’t book you into a place that doesn’t fit your criteria.
This information is used to provide the service you requested (e.g. scheduling), to prevent fraud, and to automatically screen out listings that aren’t a fit.
ShowMojo may share details with trusted third parties — such as hosting, storage, and payment providers — that help run the service, but only what’s needed for them to do their job.
You are also entitled to request deletion of personal information ShowMojo collected from you. For a full breakdown of how ShowMojo handles data, you can read our Privacy Policy.
Why is ShowMojo Asking for My Credit Card, Driver’s License, and/or Social Security Number?
When you schedule a showing on ShowMojo’s platforms, we require a name, email, and phone number. We do not require a credit card, driver’s license, or Social Security number.
If you are asked for any of the above info, it’s because the property manager decided to request that information.
For security reasons, most PMs will ask for at least a driver’s license before allowing you to schedule a showing.
If you have any concerns about a ShowMojo-hosted listing asking for sensitive information, contact the property manager directly to confirm it’s their listing.
Why is a Driver’s License Required Just to Schedule a Showing?
It can feel intrusive to provide your driver’s license to schedule a showing. But this is standard practice, especially for self-guided showings.
If you’ve ever toured a property in person, chances are the leasing agent asked to make a copy of your driver’s license. Property managers do this before allowing a tour to:
- Filter out scammers
- Prevent fraudulent applications
- Comply with property insurance requirements
- Maintain a tour log for incident reports, if needed
Many PMs are also managing a ton of prospective tenants, and requiring an ID helps deter less serious prospects.
The easier and less commitment it is to schedule a showing, the more PMs have to deal with last-minute cancellations. So even a simple ID verification step can greatly reduce the volume of no-shows.
Is it Normal to Require a Credit Card to Schedule a Rental Showing?
It’s legit and increasingly common for property managers to require credit card verification for self-showings. This helps PMs verify identity, reduce fraud, deter no-shows, and cover potential damages.
Different PMs may do different things, such as:
- $0–$1 card verification (identity check only).
- Temporary authorization hold (e.g., $50–$200, released after the tour).
- No-show fee (charged only if you skip or cancel late).
If you’re the renter, it’s fair (and a good practice) to ask:
- Is this a hold or a charge? When is it released?
- Who stores the card, how long, and for what purpose?
- Are there alternatives? E.g. in-person ID check, refundable cash deposit, or agent-accompanied tour.
The bottom line is the same as with driver’s licenses — the PMs who require credit cards are not looking to scam you. They’re just using one of a handful of tools they have to stem the tide of no-shows, lookie-loos, and scammers.
Is a Social Security Number Required to View a Rental on ShowMojo?
ShowMojo does not require your Social Security Number (SSN) for scheduling tours. However, you may be asked to provide your SSN if the property manager has enabled ShowMojo’s Advanced Identity Decisioning.
Advanced Identity Decisioning is a feature that, when enabled, automatically triggers based on the risk profile of the showing. When you are required to provide an SSN, ShowMojo uses this data for identity verification only, and it is not retained.
If you are being asked for an SSN to schedule a showing, check with the property manager directly to confirm the listing is theirs, and proceed only if you are comfortable.
Also keep an eye out for classic red flags, such as:
- Lower than market rent
- Inconsistent listing information across listing sites
- Pressure to pay a fee to view the unit
The Final Word
If you’re scheduling a tour through ShowMojo, you’re using a legitimate leasing platform built to help you see places that fit your needs without wasting your time.
If something feels off, verify the listing on the manager’s official site before you share anything sensitive.
And remember: you can ask questions, you can say no, and you can request access to or deletion of your personal information at any time.
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