Important note about housing scammers posing as IamExpat

Have you been contacted by a landlord or real estate agent claiming to be associated with IamExpat? As we do not personally publish property advertisements nor take payments or deposits for housing, this is likely a scam. Here is some information about what has been happening and some tips on protecting yourself from scams.

Be wary of scammers posing as an IamExpat real estate agency

We have received messages from people claiming to have been contacted by a “real estate agent” working for IamExpat, regarding property listings in countries including but not limited to Germany, Switzerland and Spain. 

This person is capitalising on the tight housing markets in these countries to exploit people looking for accommodation. They are impersonating our company to ask for personal information and down payments, and are committing online crimes that are completely unrelated to our company. 

What to look out for

It is easy to identify these messages through the email addresses used. So far, all communication seems to have gone through the email address “[email protected]”. This email address is not connected to IamExpat Media and should be regarded with suspicion. 

All communications from IamExpat Media will come through either an “@iamexpat.com”, “@iamexpat.nl”, “@iamexpat.de” or “@iamexpat.ch” email address. 

If you receive a communication from an address that looks like it could be us, but is not in the format outlined above, be sure to double check by using the official contact details of our company to talk directly with us. We advise you to block suspicious contacts and avoid clicking on any links or filling out any forms. Make sure you never give out any personal information, bank account details or other sensitive data. 

IamExpat Media will never: 

• Request any personal identification information
• Claim to be offering a property to rent (we merely advertise properties listed by partner organisations)
• Ask for a fee or downpayment to hold a property
• Contact you through WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram or Instagram regarding a property listing
• Ask you to transfer money

Tips on protecting yourself from housing scams

To be on the safe side, view with caution any housing offer where:

• It looks too good to be true
• The landlord tries to pressurise you into making a decision
• You are asked to pay a deposit before seeing the property for yourself
• You are asked to sign a contract before meeting the landlord or property agent in person
• You are asked to send a copy of your passport before meeting or speaking with the property agent

Remember to be cautious when responding to property adverts online, know the warning signs for a scam and if you are ever in doubt, contact us or any related property agency to verify that the listing is a real one. 

If you have been approached by the account mentioned above, please block the email address, notify us, and - if you wish - the Swiss authorities. You can also report abuse to the domain registrar handling the iamexpat.agency domain name or email [email protected]. If you have any concerns or questions, you can always contact us at [email protected]/de/ch.

Thumb image credit: Michael Derrer Fuchs / Shutterstock.com