How to Spot and Avoid Scammers on Idealista
Idealista is a popular platform for finding and renting apartments in Spain, but unfortunately, it is also a target for scammers who try to trick unsuspecting tenants into paying money for fake or non-existent properties. In this blog post, I will share some tips and red flags to help you identify and avoid these scams, based on experiences from community members and other research.
Contact Information
First of all, you should know that ads that only have an email address as contact information are very likely to be a scam, and Idealista always tries to remove them as soon as possible. If you see such an ad, do not contact the advertiser or send any type of personal document, such as your passport or ID card, because they will often ask for it as part of their scheme.
Simply Too Good To Be True
Secondly, you should be wary of ads that offer properties that are too good to be true, such as very cheap, spacious, or well-located apartments. These are usually bait to lure you in and make you pay a deposit or a reservation fee before seeing the place. Several community members have contacted these type of ads on Idealista, and all of them had the same story: the owner claimed to be out of town working or living abroad, and said they would leave the keys with a third party or send them by mail after receiving the payment. They also asked to send them a copy of their passport and sign a contract online.
More Red Flags
- They reach out to you via WhatsApp or email, sometimes using voice notes or sending unsolicited pictures and documents to ‘prove’ their identity or ownership of the property.
- They delete the ad from Idealista soon after you contact them (often the ad is marked as “scam account” by Idealista after a few days)
- They avoid meeting you in person or showing you the apartment, and they make excuses or pressure you to book online.
- They tell you to pay through a third-party website, such as Rentalia or Booking.com, and they send you a link that may look like the official one but is actually forged (phishing).
- They communicate in a shady way, providing irrelevant information or not answering your questions directly.
Payments With Cryptocurrencies
Another common scam that you should be aware of is the one that involves payments via Mercuryo. Mercuryo is a legitimate service that allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies with your credit card, but some scammers use it to trick you into sending them money that you cannot recover. They will tell you that Mercuryo is a secure and verified platform that works with Idealista, and they will ask you to create an account and scan a QR code that they will send you. This QR code will direct you to a payment page where you will enter your card details and authorize a transaction. However, this transaction will not go to Idealista or the landlord, but to the scammer’s wallet. Once you pay, they will disappear and block your contact.
To avoid this scam, you should never pay for an apartment via Mercuryo or any other cryptocurrency service. Idealista does not accept payments in cryptocurrencies, and it does not work with Mercuryo or any other similar platform. If someone asks you to pay via Mercuryo, report them to Idealista and the police immediately.
Downpayments
My advice is to never pay money upfront to an individual without seeing the apartment first and signing a contract in person. If you want to book online, only use trusted platforms such as Airbnb, and always check the reviews and ratings of the hosts. If you have any doubts about an ad or a landlord, do some research online or contact Idealista’s customer service for help.
I hope this blog post was useful and informative for you. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to ask them in Slack. And if you have been a victim of a scam on Idealista, please report it to the police and Idealista as soon as possible. Stay safe and happy renting!
