The Swiss rental market is notoriously competitive, making affordable and spacious apartment listings highly attractive to potential tenants. However, the Swiss Federal Office for Cyber Security (FOCS) has warned that many of these enticing offers are too good to be true. Scammers are increasingly targeting apartment seekers, using sophisticated techniques to steal money and personal information.
How Rental Scammers Operate
According to FOCS, fraudsters use various deceptive tactics to lure unsuspecting victims. These include:
- Fake Property Listings & Hijacked Ads: Scammers copy real listings but change the contact details, so victims unknowingly communicate with them instead of the legitimate landlord.
- Advance Payment Requests: Victims are asked to pay a deposit—or even a “viewing fee”—before being allowed to see the apartment. Scammers claim high demand to pressure applicants into paying quickly.
- Unusual Payment Methods: Scammers request rent or deposits via gift cards or cryptocurrency—untraceable payment methods never used by legitimate landlords.
- Incomplete Rental Agreements: Victims receive fraudulent or incomplete lease contracts that lack legally binding clauses.
- The Absent Landlord Trick: Scammers claim to be abroad and unable to show the apartment in person. Instead, they offer to send the keys via mail in exchange for an upfront payment.
- Fake Real Estate Agents: Scammers impersonate agents to charge victims a commission for apartments they have no legal authority to rent.
How to Avoid Rental Scams
If you're searching for an apartment, especially in a competitive market, it’s easy to overlook red flags. FOCS recommends taking the following precautions:
✔ Be skeptical of listings significantly below market price.
✔ Insist on visiting the property before signing anything or making payments.
✔ Use secure payment methods—never cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
✔ Carefully review rental contracts to ensure they are complete and legitimate.
✔ Watch out for ads with poor grammar, low-quality images, or incomplete contact details.
These common-sense precautions—vigilance, verification, and skepticism—apply not only to rental scams but to fraud in general.
Other Common Scams Targeting Foreign Residents
Scammers in Switzerland don’t just target apartment seekers. Foreign residents, in particular, have been victims of fraudulent schemes disguised as official government communications.
For instance, some expats received emails from fake addresses such as swissimmigration@consultant or eu_immigration@consultant, falsely claiming to be from Swiss immigration authorities. These emails often promised fake job offers in the hospitality industry in exchange for payments ranging from €300 to €1,000 for a Swiss residence permit and insurance.
Similarly, fraudsters sent emails pretending to be from the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), the Federal Police (Fedpol), or border authorities, threatening deportation unless a payment was made to an anonymous account.
One obvious red flag? The fraudulent emails demanded payments in euros instead of Swiss francs—a careless mistake by the scammers.
Final Takeaway
Fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods. Whether they are offering fake apartments, fraudulent job opportunities, or false legal threats, their ultimate goal is always the same: to steal money and personal information. By staying alert, verifying sources, and refusing to make hasty payments, you can protect yourself from falling victim to these schemes.