Hi,
I am not offering either property or looking for property with this. I didn't know where exactly post it but as it is related to a rental apartment I am looking for I thought this could be an option. If not, sorry and please SysOp, please move it where it should be more appropriate.
I have applied to several apartments to visit in ZH and I got a wide range of feedback: from no feedback at all (most), to rejection (many), through visit is scheduled at a point I can't make it (some), and ending (the subject of this post) in what I think is scam (2 replies).
The modus-operandi is similar:
- someone with an apartment in the city which is not being lived at the moment,
- the aged landlord, with almost no way or mood to travel to CH for this,
- who is not living in the country (usually bought for a daugther or a son who finally left the country too),
- advertising the apartment for a low - to - very - low rent (compared to the average) and
- furnitured.
They both took a while to reply to the application, but when they did, they ask for a amount of money (as deposit) which I should pay upfront to an external party which is not a rental agency in Switzerland (to secure both they don't come for nothing, showing my real interest for the proprerty). Of course there is a latent demand for the apartment so you have to be quick to secure the transaction! :weirdo:
I wonder if someone faced this too (I had another scam attempts which I sorted out perfectly, but with computers, not with a property!). The source of the ads was Immoscout24.ch, but the ads are not available anymore.
Maybe I am a bit "neurotic" but after 3 successful rentals in CH I found this, at least, weird. Maybe someone has a good experience with this kind of rentals and can share his/her feedback so I can feel safer and less suspicious....
In advance, thanks a million.
Best Regards,
LLaP