Short Answer
You will almost certainly never recover money that you transfer to a landlord scammer before physically entering a property. Once funds leave your account via digital banking services, the trail goes cold immediately.
What Most Expats Don't Realize
You found a beautiful, affordable flat online and rushed to transfer the first month's rent and deposit to secure it from abroad. The self-proclaimed landlord claimed they were currently out of the country and cut off all contact the exact millisecond the Wise transfer settled. You lost €2,400 to an anonymous digital bank account and were left stranded with nowhere to sleep on your first night in the country.
What To Do
- Contact your bank immediately to request a fraudulent transaction recall.
- Open the portal for the German police and file an official criminal report via an "Online-Anzeige".
- "Ich werde keine Kaution ohne Schlüsselübergabe zahlen." (I will not pay a deposit without the keys being handed over.) — say this to anyone who demands cash or transfers before a physical property viewing.
The Truth
The housing shortage is so desperate that scammers know foreigners will take high risks. The police are often slow to act on these cases because the money leaves the country instantly.