The housing shortage in German cities has created a perfect environment for rental scams. International students and newcomers are common targets because they cannot view apartments in person before arriving. Knowing the warning signs protects your money and your move.
1. The Most Common Rental Scams
- The "I'm abroad" trick: The landlord claims to be in another country and asks you to wire a deposit before viewing. This is the classic scam — never pay before seeing the place or signing a verified contract.
- Fake listings: Photos stolen from real estate sites, priced suspiciously low to attract quick payments.
- Key deposit via money transfer: Any request for Western Union, gift cards, or crypto is a red flag.
2. Warning Signs to Watch For
Be cautious if the rent is far below market rate, the landlord refuses a video call, the contact pushes you to pay urgently, or the German in the messages reads like a rough machine translation.
3. How to Stay Safe
Never transfer money before a viewing or a signed lease. Verify the person, and prefer platforms that connect you directly with real people. On HOMY, you match with seekers and providers through profiles and only chat after a mutual match — which makes anonymous, mass-message scams far harder to pull off than on open listing boards. Direct, human-to-human matching is your best defense against rental fraud in Germany.