Rental SCAMMER ??? In Stuttgart Germany

Rental SCAMMER ??? In Stuttgart Germany

  
 
 
Thank you for responding in English. I'm doing my best but my German is not perfect so I prefer to continue our conversation in English. I am happy that you are interested in renting my apartment. As I mentioned in my previous email, the apartment has been offered on Airbnb. The last Airbnb-guests leave (check-out) on 23. September so you can move in starting with this day.
 
I'm sorry that I'm not there to show you the apartment in person. I am a honest person and I prefer you as my tenant so I will offer you the chance to view the apartment.
I've been working with Airbnb for the last 9 months and I trust their services. We can finalize the rental procedure via Airbnb. You will have the rental contract in your hands (signed by me) and the keys to the apartment before you have to decide and commit to renting my apartment.
 
Let me explain you better what I mean by this, you'll see that it is the best idea for the both of us:
 
1. If you don't have an Airbnb account, you must go to their website and register;
 
2. I will accept you as my tenant (starting with the day that you prefer). You get to decide the length of the rental contract (for example 1,2,3,etc. years) and after this period we can extend it.
 
3. I will sign the rental contract and I will send it to Airbnb for verification & approval. 
 
4. If the rental contract is approved, Airbnb will send you a notification email. The link to my Airbnb-Ad can be found there. Instructions about the rent, deposit, etc. will be found there.
 
5. Now you must pay to Airbnb ( only 1 month of rent + deposit ); IMPORTANT: You have only 48 hours to pay starting from the moment Airbnb validated our rental transaction. If you fail to pay, Airbnb will cancel the rental procedure and the rental contract will become null.
 
6. Once Airbnb receives your payment, our rental transaction will be validated and you will receive the keys as all my Airbnb-Guests do: there is a metal box with a 5-digit PIN-code. The metal box is placed in the building near the entrance to the apartment. In order to receive the 5-digit PIN-code you must pay to Airbnb as per their instructions.
 
7. Even if you chose to move in at a later date, you can now inspect the apartment (because you have the keys and the rental contract) on any day starting with 23. September.
At this moment (after inspecting the apartment) there can be 2 possibilities:
a. You agree to rent&move-in my apartment. Now you must sign the rental contract yourself and you officially become my tenant;
b. You don't agree to rent&move-in my apartment. Now you must contact Airbnb and they will fully refund your money (which you paid to them). The rental transaction will be cancelled and the rental contract becomes null.
Even though I am sure that you will enjoy my apartment, I believe that it is very important for you to know that you have this option.
 
I hope that you agree with my proposal. I prefer to rent it this way so that I can avoid a long and expensive flight to Germany. Airbnb is very safe and many people use it for rental every day. You are my first choice as a tenant but I need your decision as soon as possible. There are others, who are very interested in my apartment.
 
In order for me to initialise the rental process through Airbnb I need the following from you:
1. Your full name (as it is written in your ID)
2. Your move-in date ( when the rental contract starts ) + the length of the rental contract (e.g. 1 year, 2 years, etc.)
3. Your Airbnb username (you need to be registered with them).
 
I am waiting for your response ASAP.
9 Replies 9
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Abith0

Airbnb does not verify or approve rental contracts. Also payment of deposit it not an Airbnb procedure.

So i wondered who sent you this email and where was the appartment advertised, as it seems to me a scam.

Thanks @Emiel1 . I felt the same. Rental add was posted in one of Germany's popular online portal. I got this response in email when responded to the ad.

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

@Abith0  Many legitimate Air BNB hosts do have rental agreements with long term tenants.  This one seems fine except for one concern.  Under Air BNB long term cancellation policy the guest will not be refunded the first month's rent, unless the host allows it.

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

This is a scam.

If it's too good to be true, it's a scam.

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Abith0  This definitely sounds like a scam. And Airbnb hosts do not generally rent for 1-3 years. Some hosts take long-term bookings, but that is more like 3-6 months.

Alec34
Level 2
Broughton-in-Furness, United Kingdom

Reads like the type of accommodation ads that are posted on Gumtree (UK site, bit like Craigslist, but without the seriel killers), properties didnt exist.

 

 

Maria2682
Level 1
Chisinau, Moldova

This is definitelly a scam. I have received the EXACT SAME email for an appartment in Berlin today 🙂

Kathie21
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

Scam.  I think the way it works is that you will be sent a link to the property 'on Airbnb', but it's actually a fake website.

 

Elena87
Level 10
СПБ, Russia