Rental Scam Checker
Found a flat or WG room that looks almost too good? Paste the listing or the landlord’s message and tick what applies. You get a risk score, the warning signs found and what to do next. Fake landlords often target international students, especially before the semester starts.
1Paste the listing or messages (optional)
2Tick everything that applies
✅ How to rent safely in Germany
- View first, pay later. Visit the flat or do a live video call where the person walks through the flat and shows the street.
- Sign a written contract first. Pay the deposit only after signing, to a German account (IBAN starting with DE) in the name of the landlord or agency.
- Deposit limits: the deposit (Kaution) may be at most three months of cold rent, and you may pay it in three monthly instalments (German Civil Code, section 551).
- Check the person: ask for ID matching the name on the contract and search the name, phone number and photos online (reverse image search).
- Never pay by Western Union, MoneyGram, gift cards, crypto or PayPal Friends, and never send your passport copy before you have a contract.
- Ask for the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). Real landlords give it; you need it for registration.
🚨 Already paid a scammer?
- Contact your bank immediately and ask for a recall of the transfer. Speed matters.
- Report it to the police. Most federal states have an online police station (Onlinewache).
- Report the listing to the platform (WG-Gesucht, Immoscout24, Kleinanzeigen, Facebook).
- Keep all messages, screenshots and payment proofs.
- If you sent a passport copy, mention it in the police report.
This checker looks for common warning signs. A low score does not guarantee that a listing is real, and a high score does not prove fraud. Always use your own judgement.
How to use the rental scam checker
- Answer the questions about the flat offer: price, contact, viewing and payment requests.
- Mark everything that applies, even small details.
- See your risk level and the warning signs that were found.
- Follow the safe next steps before you send any money or documents.
Typical rental scams in Germany
The most common scam is a cheap flat in a popular city where the landlord is abroad and asks for the deposit before any viewing, often by money transfer service, promising to send the keys by post.
Real landlords show the flat first and sign a written rental contract before you pay. The deposit (Kaution) may be at most three months of cold rent and can be paid in instalments.
Tips and common mistakes
- Never pay before you have seen the flat or met the landlord or agent with a valid ID.
- Be careful with offers far below the usual price in your city.
- Do not send copies of your passport to unknown people before a viewing.
- Search the landlord name, photos and address online. Scam ads often reuse pictures.
- Report suspicious ads to the platform and, if you lost money, to the police.
Frequently asked questions
How much deposit is normal?
Up to three months of cold rent. You may pay it in three monthly instalments.
Is it safe to rent from abroad before arriving?
It can be, through student dorms, trusted platforms or people you know. Be extra careful with private offers you cannot visit.
Is the result a guarantee?
No. It shows warning signs. A low risk result does not prove that an offer is real.
Find safe housing with our WG guide and learn to spot fake job offers too.
