A case of fraud on the popular real estate platform ImmoScout24 has caused a stir in Berlin. A user who was looking for an apartment fell into the trap of unscrupulous fraudsters and is now sitting on a mountain of debt amounting to 30,000 euros. The incident highlights the risks that lurk when looking for an apartment on the Internet and highlights the need for increased caution.
Important points:
- A user of Immoscout24 fell into a fraudulent trap and is now 30,000 euros in debt
- The fraudsters used a fake website and acted extremely professionally
- The incident underlines the importance of caution and safe behavior on online platforms
How the scam came about
The user concerned was looking for an apartment in Berlin, a city where the housing market is known to be tight. Via Immoccout24, he found a 3-room apartment in the Tiergarten district at a monthly rent of 900 euros – a real bargain by Berlin standards. However, the supposed bargain turned out to be a real nightmare in the end.
Behind the ad were fraudsters who acted extremely professionally. They redirected the user to a website of a reputable Bonn estate agent using a modified URL. As a result, the user trusted the advertisement and submitted important documents without further ado. As it turned out afterwards, the fraudsters used the documents to request a loan from the victim’s bank.
Weeks after the incident, he received a letter from his bank. The bank asked him to verify an existing bank account. With the verification via PostIdent, he unknowingly agreed to a loan of 30,000 euros. Of course, he did not receive the loan amount itself. Instead, the fraudsters should now be delighted.
Bad prospects for the victim
Of course, the injured party is now faced with the question of how he can reverse the loan or at least get the money himself. According to the report in Der Spiegel, he doesn’t really get any support. The article states that the Berlin police simply do not want to believe the Immoscout24 user’s statements. Instead, the officer in charge is said to assume that the injured party applied for the loan himself.
Conclusion
Even if platforms such as Immoscout24 go to great lengths to protect their users, there is no absolute security. It is the responsibility of each individual to take the best possible precautions and not make any hasty decisions. In this case, the injured party can hardly be accused of naivety. Rather, the example makes it clear that fraudsters on the Internet are now extremely professional. Particularly in the area of house-hunting, where many people are simply desperate, we will unfortunately have to expect more cases of fraud in the future.
