Beware of scams!

You will spend a lot of time looking for an accommodation online. Many fraudulent ads will cross your path. Usually, the accommodation scams are nice and attractive…but how to avoid this trap? 😱

💻 Is the website safe? Some websites are used by scammers because it's easy to post an ad. Be careful with websites such as Le Bon Coin and Facebook.

💸 Is the landlord asking for money in advance? Never pay upfront to a landlord. In France, payment follows signing a contract. Visit before committing and only pay the first month's rent.

💸 Are they asking you to pay via Western Union, Mandat Cash, etc.? The scammers usually don’t have a French bank account.

📖 Is the post written in a strange way? An article looking as it has been copy/pasted, with weird and randoms phrases, or poor written English will probably be a scam.

📉 Is the rent too low for the location? Check the rent for accommodations in the same area. Usually, they are similar.

🤩 Is the offer is “too good to be true”? a huge accommodation, a luxury kitchen and bathroom, a perfect location for a very cheap price…it’s a scam for sure...Some scammers steal pictures of hostel or AirBnb rooms.

👀 Is the post lacking clarity? Some information is missing, such as the area/arrondissement, pictures of the rooms, a description of the accommodation.

🔎SCAM example🔍

This is only the first mail and here are the mistakes we can already see:

The offer is too good to be true (everything is included even gaz and electricity for 520 € in Paris!
He asks everyone to pay before he has reserved the spot for anyone! Which means if 100 people liked the apartment he is going to receive 100 000 € and then give back the money to each of you who he didn’t take for the bedroom? Sure?

What do you think? SCAM ALERT!

Source: Feelfrançais

To avoid fraudulent use of your identity papers, we advise you to apply this watermark to your papers when you pass them on to your potential future owners: https://filigrane.beta.gouv.fr/
This link is reliable and comes from the French government.

If you have any doubt about a post, please contact Morgane, your Welcome Officer, she will help you to investigate! 🔍