A nice apartment for little rent? That could be fraud, says the Baden-Württemberg State Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA). Criminals are always coming up with new tricks to get their victims’ money. One way is to offer apartments on the Internet and demand a lot of money from prospective tenants in advance.
If an alleged landlord demands money even before viewing the apartment, people looking for an apartment should be alarmed. Often the accounts are abroad and nobody turns up to hand over the keys.
According to the LKA, the crooks mainly use internet platforms. At first glance, the advertisements look legitimate. But some of them are completely fake. The police therefore advise people to be suspicious. Interested parties should insist on a meeting with the landlord. In addition, people looking for an apartment should “never transfer money before they have seen the apartment and the rental contract has been signed”, according to the LKA. Anyone who has been taken in by fraudsters should report the scam to the police.
More information and tips at https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/110980/5635837
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Altes Waschhaus in Tübingen. Foto: tünews INTERNATIONAL / Martin Klaus.
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