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Anti-fraud and safety measures for international students

Moving to a new country for university is a big step, but it also makes you a prime target for international cybercriminals and real estate scammers. As students are forced to secure accommodation abroad without physical viewings,
scammers exploit this vulnerability daily.
As part of our commitment to your safe relocation to Europe, this framework outlines the critical red flags you need to recognize to protect your money and safety.

The 4 Critical Red Flags for Rentals
(Never Ignore Them)

1. “Too Good to Be True” Prices
If you find a modern, fully furnished studio in the center of Amsterdam, Helsinki, Paris or Munich for €400 to €500, it’s 100% a scam. Always research the local average student rental prices in your city before sending money. If the price is shockingly low, walk away.

2. The landlord is “currently abroad”

This is the most classic scam scenario.

The “landlord” will claim to live or work abroad (e.g. a doctor in Africa, an engineer in the UK, or an aid worker) and cannot show you the apartment in person. They will promise to mail you the keys via a courier service (such as DHL or FedEx) only after you pay the deposit. Real landlords or legitimate agencies will always have a local representative or a secure physical process.

3. Urgent pressure tactics (fake absence)

Scammers rely on creating panic. They will tell you that “10 other students are waiting to pay right now” or “you need to transfer the deposit within 2 hours or you will lose the room.” Legitimate student housing providers and landlords understand the administrative delays of international relocation and will never aggressively pressure you for instant transfers.

4. Unorthodox and untraceable payment requests
Never pay a housing deposit via:
Western Union or MoneyGram, Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, USDT, etc.) Revolut payment links or cash-sending apps. Transferring funds to a “friend’s name” to prove you have the money. Always insist on an official bank transfer
with a valid IBAN/BIC, where the account holder’s name matches the landlord’s name or the agency name registered on your contract.

Your step-by-step checklist
Before signing any rental agreement or sending a single euro, perform these structural safety checks:

Request a live video tour: Refuse to rely on still photos or pre-recorded videos. Request a live video call (WhatsApp, Zoom, Teams) where the owner or agent shows you the apartment in real time, opens the windows, and checks to see if they have the keys. If their room is “broken” or they refuse, cancel the deal.

Do a reverse image search: Download the apartment photos from the listing and upload them to Google Images.
Scammers often steal beautiful apartment photos from Airbnb listings or real estate websites in completely different countries.

Check the agency’s credentials: If you’re dealing with an
agency, check their official registration. For example, in the UK, check if they are registered on Propertymark or the official Companies House register.

Use certified student accommodation platforms:
Wherever possible, use verified, university-backed student accommodation ecosystems (such as HOAS in Finland, DUWO in the Netherlands or certified platforms such as HousingAnywhere, AmberStudent or Yugo, Studapart and Nexty Studea in France or Resa or Livensa Living in Spain, Storia.ro in Romania).

Where to report fraud in each country:

Romania: Romanian Police: The criminal complaint is filed physically at the nearest police station where the property is located or online through the official petition portal of the Romanian Police.National Directorate of Cyber ​​Security (DNSC): If the fraud involved cloned or phishing sites, it can be reported to the unique number 1911 or on DNSC.ro.

Finland: Finnish Police (Poliisi): An official crime report (Rikosilmoitus) is filed online through the e-services service on the official Poliisi website.National Cyber ​​Security Center (Kyberturvallisuuskeskus): For reporting phishing attempts and fraudulent sites.

Spain: Civil Guard and National Police: Reporting is done online through the virtual complaints portal (Denuncias) of the Policía Nacional or to the specialized cybercrime unit Grupo de Delitos Telemáticos (GDT) of the Civil Guard.
France: THESEE / PHAROS Platform: France has a centralised government portal dedicated to e-scams (including rental advance scams). Reporting is done securely on the Service-Public France website.

Netherlands: Dutch Police (Politie): You can report online on the official website Politie.nl in the section dedicated to internet fraud (Internetoplichting).Fraudehelpdesk: The national anti-fraud centre in the Netherlands that offers free legal support to victims to recover their money.

Germany: Digital Police (Onlinewache): Each federal state (Bundesland) has an online police department called Onlinewache. The victim can file a complaint on the specific portal of the state in which the fraud occurred.

United Kingdom (UK): Action Fraud: This is the national centre for reporting fraud and cybercrime in the UK. Reports are made online at Action Fraud UK or by phone at 0300 123 2040.

3 Mandatory Steps to be followed IMMEDIATELY by the victim:

Regardless of the country, if a student has sent money to a scammer, the order of actions should be as follows:
- Contacting the bank (Chargeback / Recall): The victim should immediately call their bank (or Revolut, Wise, etc.) and request a recall of funds or a chargeback for the fraud. If the money was sent by SEPA bank transfer, there is a short window in which the transaction can be blocked.
- Keeping evidence: Screenshots should be saved immediately with: the WhatsApp/OLX conversation, the ad link, the scammer's phone number, the bank account details where the money was sent and the payment confirmation (PDF).
- Reporting to the host platform: If the ad was on Storia.ro, Idealista or Kamernet,stc. the scammer's account must be reported within the platform to be blocked immediately and prevent further victims.
- European Reporting and Student Support
If the scammer is located in another European country than the student, the case becomes a cross-border fraud.
Users of the HubStudentsEurope.com platform can turn to: ECC Net (European Consumer Centre): The ECC Net network offers free legal assistance to EU citizens who encounter problems with cross-border services (including real estate agencies or accommodation platforms from another Member State).
- Europol: For major cyberattacks or organised phishing networks, Europol's official platform provides guidance to national elite units.