Expat Advice

How to: Avoid Apartment Scams in Paris

So here’s the problem: After seeing several posts on various Expat pages on Facebook, I am sick and tired of seeing innocent people get scammed. Sadly, there are a lot of scams nowadays and we have to accept that there are some bad people in this world who will take advantage of a situation. 

So what can we do to avoid this? Well, the best thing we can do as expats is read up on how best to identify scams, in order to be best prepared to avoid them.

Here are my top tips for avoiding a scam:

 1. Research the average price of rentals in your area

The best thing you can do before you start looking is do some research on the average price of rentals. First things first, you should know that the price for rent is extremely high in Paris. There is such a high demand for studios and even rooms in the city that spaces can rent out for a much higher price. If you see a studio or flat renting out for a very low price then it is most probably a scam. Expect to pay a high price and be suspicious of anything that’s TOO cheap. It could also be a sublet, something that is quite common but nonetheless illegal in Paris.

Also, if it looks too good to be true, it most probably is.

I have had friends call me and say…

“Chloe I’ve found this great apartment in central Paris it’s; 40 sqm, has a balcony, a small garden and a large bedroom, kitchen and bathroom! And It’s only 500 euros a month!!”

To which I have immediately replied, ignore the ad and keep looking for an apartment that actually exists. Some of my friends were very shocked when they realised that a good 20% of what they were looking at were in fact, scams. Not only on Facebook but on Craigslist too.

Here is an example of a current post on Craigslist: 700 euros for a 2 bedroom luxury apartment that is 85 square metres. This is quite clearly a SCAM. If you do a little research you’ll see that, on average, a 1 bedroom 25 sqm apartment rents out for about 1000 euros in Paris, and even more if it’s located in a good area. Find out the average prices in Paris first for different size apartments before you start looking, that way you can pick out the scams.

2. Never EVER wire money

The most common sign of a scam is the person asking you to wire money. There’s no reason they would need to request payment by wire transfer only to pay a security deposit, application fee or first month’s rent. Even if they sent you a contract first, avoid wiring money. I spoke to at least ten people who had lost money to scams, the worst being over 1500 euros. Remember wiring money is like mailing cash — once it’s gone, there’s nothing you can do to get it back.

Careful: If the owners or managers ask for a security deposit or first month’s rent before you’ve met or signed a lease, it may also be a scam.

3. Run an internet search on the advertisement

You may also want to conduct an Internet search on the owner. If you find the ad listed under a different name, it’s probably a scam. You can also run a Google search using the text: if you copy and paste the text into Google and it IS a scam you are most probably not the first person to have come across it.  Lastly, you can drop and drag the images into Google and see what search results they come up with. Often the photos are fake and stolen from other, legitimate websites.

4. Verify the name and location of the street

Google maps is going to become your best friend when you’re looking at apartment ads in Paris. You can use google maps to verify addresses and double check that they a) actually exist and b) that the building is where it is supposed to be! A good example of how helpful this can be is when Camelia, an expat in Paris, used google maps to check an offer that she received about a beautiful apartment. When she verified the name of the street visible through a window in one of the photos it was, surprise surprise, not at all where the email said it was. Google maps is your friend, use it!

4. Do not trust anyone who says they are not in Paris

The majority of scammers are abroad and are not actually based in France at all. A perfect example was a girl I spoke to via Facebook. She was advertising a room on Roommates in Paris which was quite clearly a scam. The apartment was much too large, the price too low and the apartment location false. I contacted her anyway because I wanted an idea of how scammers work. She immediately told me she was currently in Amsterdam and was renting the room for her mother who didn’t use Facebook. She said she couldn’t meet me but if I sent her the security deposit she would send me the contract and her mother would meet me with the keys.

PERFECT EXAMPLE: never trust people who say they are abroad and cannot show you the apartment. Always meet the person who you have been in contact with you and of course, never send money before!

5. If you are a blogger create a tiny URL to find out the real location of the renter

Regarding scammers being abroad; there is a clever way that you can catch them. Kevin Knight, the organiser of the Expatriates in Paris group, shared this fantastic tip with me. If you are a blogger, go to your blog and use your website link to create a tiny URL. When you have reduced your website to a tiny URL, send it to the person you believe might be trying to scam you. Ask them: Is this where the apartment is? When they click on the link you will be able to trace their location. If they are not in Paris you will soon find out! Click here to find out how to do this.

6. Be aware of Identity Theft risks

In some cases, they may not be after your money, but your identity. Be cautious about giving out your Social Security number, bank account or any piece of identity. Sometimes, a landlord wants to check your credit, especially if you’re renting in a competitive real estate area. Often the landlord will ask for permission to obtain your work contract with proof of salary when you fill out a rental application which in itself is not a red flag. They need to know you can afford to pay the rent! However, be careful – if a “landlord” sends you a link to enter personal and financial information, this could be a ploy to steal your identity. Only enter this type of information on secure, trusted sites.

So, what’s the best way to find an apartment in Paris?

Honestly…the best way is to use a verified and highly recommended agency.

If you can afford it, the best way to find a flat in Paris is through an agency. Lodgis and Paris Housing are two very well-known and respectable agencies. Agencies will find you legitimate, nice apartments with respectable landlords. They will help you with any documentation questions and ensure that you have a good rental experience. However, using an agency is expensive so make sure you enquire about the fees before agreeing to go through an agency.

If you can’t afford an agency or can’t pay for an independent apartment, use sites such as pap.fr and appartager.fr  to find roommates. There is less paperwork involved and the price of rent is much more reasonable.

It won’t be an easy ride but don’t worry, you will find something! Just don’t give up and DON’T get scammed!

See also : my article on How to Rent an Apartment

 

12 Comments

  • Jennifer

    How do you feel about the agency Paris attitude? I am using them to rent an apartment but I’m concerned about the process after reading this article.

    • My Life Living Abroad

      Hi Jennifer, I’ve heard numerous bad things about Paris attitude. I would recommend parisrental instead!

  • David from travelscams.org

    Great article, thanks for the tips! With the Atlantic coast, modern winter resorts on the French Alps, medieval castles, world class gastronomy and many more, France is indeed a fascinating land to visit. However, there are a number of crooks targeting tourists in the country.

    Do be wary of the gold ring scam, Louvre pickpockets, string/bracelet scam, ball and cup/shell game scam, petition scam, rose scam, street vendors, rogue taxi drivers, helpful strangers, charity beggar scam, lost soul scam, clumsy jogger and many more!

    • My Life Living Abroad

      Thanks for your comment david! I was aware of most of those already but thanks for the reminder, we have to be careful in big cities!

  • Vivek Pawar

    Hi ,
    I wanted to share my very recent experience. I saw an ad, WHICH was too good to be true. An 62m apartment for 500 euros a month (including everything).I tried to contact the owner and she replied “she is working on oil rig and just divorced her french husband. so, she does not want to come back home and wants to rent it out to someone who could take care of it.” Few points here rang the bell for me.
    1) Too good to be true.
    2) No body exposes her/his personal life like this(reminded me of Nigerian scam).
    3)I emailed her in english language but she responded she was finnish and asked me to respond in english,which i was already doing.
    4)She removed the ad the very next day i talked to her over email.

    Be careful guys and make sure to see the place and meet the owner first.

  • lEA

    gREAT ARTICLE. I AM SO HAPPY I FIGURED OUT IT BEFORE I GOT SCAMMED. I AM NEW IN PARIS AND LOOKING FOR RENTING A STUDIO, I COULDNT BELIEVE STORIES PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO CREATE JUST TO GET MONEY. AND AS YOU WRITE PRICE WAS ALWAYS TOO LAW, APARTMENT VERY NICE, THEY WERE ALWAYS OUT OF THE COUNTRY, THEY WERE SHARING THEIR PERSONAL STORIES IN DETAIL AND EVEN PICTURES, THE WERE SAYING THEY DONT WANT TO WASTE TIME AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE IM NOT WASTING THEIR TIME ETC. LAST POINT WAS TO SEND MONEY THROUGH MONEYGRAM ON MY NAME SO SHE CAN MAKE SURE I HAVE MONEY AND ALSO ONCE ON MY FRINEDS NAME IN UK SO HE CAN MAKE SURE I HAVE MONEY. lATER ON I HAVE REALIZED THAT MONEYGRAM IS NOT A WELL SECURED WAY AND ITS EASY TO PICKUP MONEY AS THEY JUST NEED A NAME AND THE NUMBER AND THOSE SCAMMERS ARE ASKING TO SEND YOU THAT PAPER. PLUS THEY NEED id, I WAS JUST WONDERING, ARE THEY MAKING THEN FAKE ID TO GET MONEY? BECAUSE THEY JUST NEED MY NAME AND THEIR PICTURE AND THAT VERIFICATION NUMBER. GENERALLY i AM VERY HAPPY THAT i AM SAVED. NOW I KNOW THAT TO GET NICE STUDIO IN CENTER IS DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE.

  • Rosie

    I’m currently having a nightmare experience with Lodgis.

    A month ago, through Lodgis, my boyfriend and I signed a 12-month lease for an apartment with a move-in date of two months from now. We also paid the agency fees, the security deposit, and the first month of rent. Last week, we received an email from the owner of the apartment saying she could no longer rent us the apartment as she was going to be flying her parents into Paris, and they would be staying at the apartment.

    In our lease, it clearly states that if the owner wishes to break the lease, they must give three month’s notice. We were only given about two.

    After signing the lease a month ago, my boyfriend and I had both given notice to our respective owners indicating that we would not be renewing our current leases with them as we had found a new place. There is even a new tenant moving into my current apartment just after I’m set to leave.

    We contacted Lodgis, who told us that this had nothing to do with them, and that we would have to work it out with the owner.

    We then contacted the owner, explaining that we understand her situation, but that this also puts us in a very difficult position. We cited the terms of the lease we had all signed a month ago, showing that this was not legal. We asked if there were any other possible solutions on their side for housing their parents, as we now only have six weeks to find new lodging.

    The owner responded, ignoring everything we mentioned in the email, and asked us for our bank info so she could reimburse us. No negotiation. No sympathy.

    Unfortunately, we do not have the money, nor the time, to pursue legal action. We will have to find somewhere else to live. But not with Lodgis.

    I’ve worked with Lodgis on three separate occasions, and each time, the agent assigned to my case is consistently useless. This time, I was working with Manuela Falletta. She took days, sometimes even a full week, to respond to emails. By the time she did respond, the apartments we had asked to visit had already been rented. Not ONCE did Manuela send us suggestions of potential rentals from their site. Not really sure what we had to pay the agency fees for, seeing as I was the one doing all the work. She repeatedly asked for information (pay slips, passport copies, bank info, etc.) that had already been sent to her in previous emails. The owner of the apartment we had signed the lease for emailed Manuela on May 29 to inform her of her desire to break our lease. Manuela did not reach out to us until June 3. The owner had to reach out to us herself on May 31.

    The owner of this apartment (Rosalia Ikonomov) is lucky we don’t have the means to pursue legal action.

    Good luck with your apartment search. Hopefully you have better luck than we did.

    • My Life Living Abroad

      Oh god Rosie that sounds awful, I hope it all got sorted!! I have a few colleagues who went through Lodgis but didn’t have any issues. We actually found an apartment two years ago and we now own it so it all worked out very well 🙂

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