Rental scam using Airbnb? How should I go forward, if at all?

[Elizabeth103]

I have been trying to find an apartment and found a listing on a popular rental website (not Airbnb). We started e-mailing, and the owner told me that he lives in Spain and will be using Airbnb's services for payment. It didn't seem strange until this last email. What bothers me about this is that it doesn't seem to follow any of Airbnb's practices. It also threw up other rental scam red flags, such as the fact that he wants me to pay before seeing the property, he's asking for my personal information outside the Airbnb platform, and the place doesn't come up on the Airbnb search list. Here is the portion of the most recent e-mail that I find odd, copy/pasted, edited for clarity:

"If you decide to proceed with this transaction, I will need your phone number along with your full name and address where you can be contacted for the keys and the rental contract. Then I will start the process through Airbnb here in Spain, providing them your information. Next you will receive a notification message from them, containing a receipt with all the instructions that you need to follow in order to complete the process and receive the keys and the rental contract.
Regarding the payment, you will get all the necessarily [sic] instructions on the invoice, so you can deposit the money for the first month along with the warranty, into an escrow bank account from AIRBNB. They will hold and insure your money until you check the apartment and decide if you want to rent it or not.
As soon as you will complete the deposit of $1,100 + $1,100 = $2,200 into their bank account, an agent from Airbnb will meet and show you the property. You will be given one day inspection period to take a decision and [in case you are not satisfied with the apartment], next day the total amount will be refunded to you by Airbnb. If you'll like the flat then you can keep the keys, sign the contract, and we will fix a date for the monthly payment, that it has to be done by you directly to my personal bank account."

There's a lot about the whole exchance that seems quite.... off. The more I think about it, the stranger it sounds. There is nothing on Airbnb about "escrow accounts," etc. It just smells terribly fishy, and I want to make certain that my eagerness and need for a place to go doesn't get me ensnared into some scammer's net. 

So, what are your thoughts on this? 

[Carla316]

Go to the police!! You might be surprised how helpful they can be, I was in New Zealand, sent money to Italy, for a flat in Germany. Eventually the money came back, via intervention from New Zealand police,  Italian police and the bank over there. But the other stupid thing before that is that I sent scans of my ID and now the scammers, one year later, are pretending to be me and are advertising flats in my name. At least five people have contacted me asking if I am for real... 

[Mitesh3]

Was the place in Karlsruhe, Germany?

[Sophie1117]

This is what brought me to this site!

[João-Carlos3]

Same **bleep** here, searching for something in Berlin, didn't even found the apartment in Airbnb, and the person claim to be a doctor living in Spain. From the other site, she asked my whatsapp and then said the process would be done through airbnb, so she needed my full name and email. Stopped right away.

[Vitus1]

Hey there, can you please help me out? I'm experiencing the same scenario as if right now... Her Name is "Dr. Barbara Korg", also living in Spain. She said that she got her german citizenship, through marrying her husband. Just asking this to check if there are more similarities than just a doctor from Spain :). She wants to send me a payment link via whatsapp, so i can pay my first bill and warranty per airbnb. Thank you in advance!!!

[Navindi0]

HI EVERYONE,

so just today on ZOOPLA, my husband received an email from a guy whose name is Jurgen, he apparently lives in Spain and he is willing to let the apartment for a" too good to be true" price through AIRBNB. Fishy to begin with especially when he just added an unnecessary line about him and his wife being in Spain trying to start a business ( during a pandemic) THIS IS A SCAM. do not reply. Airbnb does not do any of this.

[Mollie28]

The exact same thing just happened to me! Unfortunately if things seem too good to be true.... they usually are! 

[Margaret970]

Me as well.

[Quynh35]

hi @Mitesh3 i’m having the same problem with this scammers too. can you send me a private message?

[Mitesh3]

Hey @Quynh35 ,

What problems are you having?

[Quynh35]

just wanted to know if you send them any money @Mitesh3 

[Allwin0]

Can you please tell me what the name given to you was because I am also emailing with a lady who claims to have an apartment here in Hannover germany,but It did not look convincing. The name she gave me is Jacoline Laarman.She told me that she had a son and he used this apartment before.

[Sarah977]

@Allwin0   All the scammers tell people their son or daughter used to live there. It doesn't matter the name that's used on the email. Airbnb doesn't work like this- hosts don't email with guests before a booking is made- in fact, email addresses of hosts and guests are hidden before a booking is confirmed. And if it was a legitimate Airbnb listing, they would just direct you to their Airbnb listing and you would communicate and book through the Airbnb platform. 

They are probably also telling you that an "airbnb agent" will meet you and give you the keys and show you the place. None of this is how Airbnb works. There aren't any agents, you don't get to preview the place, no one gives you keys until you arrive for a confirmed booking.

Stop communicating with this person and don't give her any of your personal information.

[Vitus1]

Hey there, could you please help me out? I'm experiencing the same thing right now. did she send you a photo of her id-card? Does she have shoulder long black hair?

If so, how did your situation turn out? Thank you in advance.

[Sandra856]

@Vitus1 It's a huge scam. You should never transfer og wire any money to a stranger. If someone asks you to do so you should run as fast as possible. If you want to rent an Airbnb do so from the official airbnb site - there you are not transfering any money but pay Airbnb directly and they will keep your money safe until after you have checked in. Avoid any person who asks you to wire money.