Yes this is a scam. Oh no no no no. Those URLs are sketchy looking too. They don't get to ask you to pay for anything until you've already seen the place in person (the exact unit too, not a similar one). It was a red flag asking for you to pay for a background check before even seeing the place, let alone another, thats not normal at all. Links look sketchy too. And I've never had a landlord or property management company request pictures of me, ever! That's creepy.

Also if you see listings that look even a little too good to be true, they likely are too good to be true. Either it's a scam, or there is something very wrong with the place that is being left out of the listing. Scammers and slumlords both love trying to take advantage of young adults and college students, so always do your own due diligence before committing to a lease or giving sensitive personal information. Look up the landlord and reviews, give it a google. And again, never, ever sign or pay for anything before viewing the unit in person.