The Cologne police are urgently warning against internet fraudsters who are taking advantage of the current tense situation on the housing market far and wide.

Apartment for rent with deposit! On real estate portals - sometimes also on site - the perpetrators pretend to have an attractive rental apartment offer. However, their sole goal is to collect deposits of between 500 and 2,500 euros from interested parties. They then find themselves in front of an apartment that is actually not available.

This is what is currently happening in the Bilderstöckchen district.

On Friday (January 3rd), a resident of Ulmer Strasse gave the following information to officers at the Nippes police station: Over the last few days, people had rung her doorbell several times and claimed to have rented this apartment. When asked, the men each presented authentic-looking rental agreements. One (27) of the victims also stated that they had paid the provider a deposit of 1,800 euros in advance. Subsequent examination of the copy of one of these “rental agreements” logically revealed that it was a forgery. The fraudster had “brokered” this apartment to several men at the same time via social networks.

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There were indications of further fraudulently offered accommodation.

The interested parties who were ultimately harmed had taken advantage of the opportunity offered to them several times to view the apartment in question. In these cases, the fraudster had actually rented the premises as a short-term holiday apartment via an online accommodation service. Criminal Investigation Department 33 has started investigating fraud.

The police strongly recommend that private individuals find out as much information as possible about their business partners.

Internet sites from consumer protection associations, private associations or special discussion forums and computer magazines offer help on the possible risks of doing business on the Internet. Before paying a deposit, an interested party could ask the provider for appropriate proof of ownership.

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If there is a local possibility, you can check with neighboring residents whether it is actually an apartment for rent. A deposit transfer is also possible to a deposit account cooperated with the provider. To this end, the provider would have to authenticate himself accordingly to the credit institution.

Source: Cologne Police
Article image: Shutterstock / By fizkes


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