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New Arrivals Being Targeted
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Authorities indicated that investigations remain ongoing and warned that additional scam attempts are likely during peak student migration periods
Indian student associations in Berlin have raised concerns over a sharp increase in rental fraud cases targeting newly arrived Indian students, with multiple complaints surfacing within the past 24 hours ahead of Germany’s summer academic intake cycle.
According to student coordinators and local police officials, scammers posing as landlords allegedly demanded advance deposits for non-existent apartments using forged lease agreements and fake identification documents. Victims reportedly transferred large amounts of money before discovering that listed properties either did not exist or were already occupied.
Berlin police confirmed that cybercrime and fraud units are examining several complaints involving online housing platforms and encrypted messaging applications. “International students are often specifically targeted because they urgently need accommodation before arriving,” a police spokesperson stated.
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Indian students affected by the scam said they relied on online listings and social media housing groups while searching remotely from India
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“The documents looked genuine, and the pressure to secure accommodation quickly made people vulnerable,” said one postgraduate student who reported losing thousands of euros
The incidents have intensified anxiety among Indian students already facing housing shortages and rising living costs across major German cities. Student organisations have begun circulating verified landlord databases and emergency accommodation resources.
The Indian Embassy in Berlin issued a fresh advisory urging students to avoid making advance payments without physical verification of rental properties and ownership records.
Cybercrime analysts noted that rental scams targeting international students have become increasingly organised, often involving professionally designed websites and fake property tours.
