After many years we've decided to rent again. Of course we will be checking with our local rental agencies but due to the low volume of what's available in our area we would like to consider all options i.e. renting from owner. We have also been browsing craigslist which we've heard if rife with housing scams right now. So my questions are:

1) Are there any agencies, whatever that we can check with to ensure that we are dealing with the actual owner (or agent for the owner)? And how would we go about that?

2) How can we ensure that a rental is not getting ready to foreclose or in foreclosure?

Any other advice I'm not thinking of right now. We will be starting our search next week and I want to be prepared. I appreciate any first hand knowledge/experience. Thanks.
Additional Details
@Wildcat.. Thank You. We have no interest in being nosey. we just want to protect ourselves. If an owner/agent is honest about the possibility of a short term rental because of a foreclosure that's one thing. I am talking about people that are renting houses and not disclosing the possibility, signing a lease/agreement for a year or two and then the bank comes knocking a month later. Would that not be considered fraud (or whatever)? Is there no way to protect yourself from this?