Distance makes pressure easier to apply
Students searching from Thailand may be asked to pay quickly for a room they cannot visit. Urgency alone does not prove fraud, but refusal to provide a live viewing, inconsistent names, copied photographs, or payment to an unrelated person requires caution.
Check the person, place, and paper
Ask who owns or is authorised to sublet the property. Compare the contract name, payment recipient, address, and identity information. Request a live video viewing when possible. Search listing photographs and phrases elsewhere. Never send passport copies with more information than reasonably needed; watermark copies for their stated purpose.
Ask whether registration is possible
Clarify whether you can register the address and receive the landlord confirmation normally needed for Anmeldung. Some temporary stays are useful on arrival but unsuitable for registration, so know the trade-off before paying.
Read deposit, cancellation, notice, utilities, furnishing, and handover terms. When an offer looks wrong, losing the “opportunity” is safer than transferring funds under pressure.