The shared room market has certainly not been spared by online scammers. Finding fake advertisements on online platforms can be more common than one might think, and learning to recognize these scams is important to avoid starting your new adventure on the wrong foot. So, if you read ‘Furnished room in a shared house in the most central neighborhood of Zurich, 500 CHF plus utilities included’… it might be a good idea to do some checking.
How to recognize fake advertisements of apartment rooms?
The first sign of a fake advertisement is spelling or grammatical errors. Yes, because it seems that these scammers don’t pay much attention to the language used. Often, there are even parts of the text that don’t make sense, which may be due to the scammers being foreigners who might even be operating from abroad. But often, English is the most common language for fake advertisments, with the contact person being a person who lives abroad but has a residence to rent in another country.
A common scam is also asking for a deposit for a key that will supposedly be left in the mailbox; a key that, in reality, will never be found, just like the contact person to whom you paid the deposit who will disappear.
Another indicator of a possible scam can be the extremely low price of the furniture.
Advertisment uploaded during the weekends could also potentially be scams. This is due to the fact that official portal operators are not working on weekends and cannot flag those weird advertisments, making it easier for scammers to succeed in their fraudulent attempts.
The key: Stay alert and pay attention
The first tip to avoid falling for this scam is to request an in-person visit to the room. However, there have also been cases where even the visit itself was part of the scam. Before signing anything, make sure that the document is legally valid. Most importantly, keep in mind that you should never make an advance payment before signing the contract.
Get informed about the real estate market
Scammers often target foreigners who are looking for a room or an apartment in an unfamiliar place. Not knowing the average rent, for example in Zurich, and being used to the prices of another city, makes it easier to be targeted. Low prices can often catch the eye, but someone familiar with the market knows for sure that you can’t find a room in Zurich for 300.- CHF. That’s why it’s important to do proper research before believing any advertisement.
Moreover, low prices in an expensive area always come with a catch. Is the apartment located in a bad neighborhood or a nightlife district? Are additional costs like electricity, water, etc., included?
As you can see, it’s easy to get scammed, but with a bit of common sense and attention, you can avoid falling for any traps. With the right precautions, you’ll soon find the perfect place for your new adventure.
