BEWARE OF FRAUD

Unfortunately, every semester fraudsters take advantage of the sense of stress that can arise when all students are looking for housing at the same time. It can be difficult to see through scammers, especially if it is the first time you are looking for a home on your own. Most commonly, these ads appear in Facebook groups or on commercial pages that do not control their landlords as closely as BoPoolen. Keep in mind that the scammers you may encounter are usually members of organized crime who have perfected the technique to convince you and they are constantly developing new methods to deceive. If you pay these advertisers, your money will fund new crime.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that there is no rush! There are many ways to find a good accommodation. Ask to call back later and discuss with someone before you decide. All new students in Lund usually find a place to live.

We work systematically to stop scammers from using BoPoolen.nu but it is always important to be attentive when using our site as well. We manually preview all rental listings, and only approved advertisers can see your ad as a housing applicant.

Read the List of warning signs and tips below before responding to an ad and don't hesitate to contact us if you find something that seems fishy, no matter how you found the ad! We can help you do a check, contact the police in our direct channels and warn other students. BoPoolen is non-profit and run by LUS, a federation of the Student Unions in Lund.

General advice on avoiding fraud

Fraudsters often claim to be temporarily abroad and they request a deposit or advance rent to be paid to a foreign bank account or through Western Union. Anyone who actually rents out a room or an apartment in Sweden is almost always there and can show the apartment. It is also very unusual for a serious landlord not to have a Swedish bank account or a Swedish phone number.

Be very careful not to send any personal information or copies of your ID to others. Be aware that your personal data may be used to deceive other housing applicants. There have been cases of scammers sending copies of stolen identity documents. Therefore, check that the person is actually registered at the address they are trying to rent out. Keep in mind that clicking on a link in a message from someone you don't know is always a risk, regardless of the context.

Warning signs

1. The landlord claims that they are not in Sweden and therefore cannot show the apartment

2. Demands large sums in deposit or advance rent

3. Payment through, for example, Western Union or to a foreign bank account or via a lawyer abroad

4. The landlord claims that the apartment will go to someone else if you don't send money right away and pressures you to close the deal then and there

5. The landlord does not want to give his/her name and personal identity number

6. The landlord is not listed at the same address as the apartment in the ad

Advice

1. Request the landlord's full name, address, and social security number. The fact that you have received a name and phone number or email address is not a sufficient guarantee.

2. If you have access to the app Swish, begin a transfer of SEK 1 to the landlord's phone number. Cancel when you see that it is the correct name in the BankID app. About 95% of Sweden's population is connected to Swish. BoPoolen can help you with this.

3. Ask to make a video call and compare the person's appearance with the pohoto ID. Take your time and don't be deterred by a potentially embarrassing situation. This can also be a good way to view the apartment.

4. Check the address of the apartment on the internet (for example: hitta.se, eniro.se or upplysning.se) to make sure that it is genuine and that the landlord is registered to the address.

5. If the ad offers to sublet an entire apartment and not a room in the apartment, you can also contact the property owner or the board of the conominium association, to check that the person has applied for permission to rent it to you.

6. Search online for the address, the landlord's name, phone number and email address. If it is a scammer, there may be warnings posted online.

7. Ask for photographs and do an image search on Google to see if the photographs have been used in other listings.

8. Never send your personal information or ID to anyone unless you are absolutely sure that everything is as it should be. Your personal data can be used to deceive others.

9. Do not send money to anyone before you have signed a contract and you are positive that you will have access to the room/apartment. Preferably not before you have the key in your hand.

10. It is always reasonable to request to see the room/apartment before signing the contract

Dishonest landlords

Even if you are sure that the landlord and the room/apartment are real, we advise you to be careful and to make sure everything is done fairly. The vast majority of landlords are nice and reputable but there are exceptions. Always sign a proper lease agreement and make sure you save bank statements or request receipts for your payments. Please contact BoPoolen.nu if you are experiencing problems with your landlord. Read more about your rights and obligations as a tenant under Laws & regulations.

Contact BoPoolen if in doubt

If you encounter a fraudster or if you have doubts about a landlord you are in contact with, send an email or call us and we will help you. It is important for us to know about fraudsters or dishonest landlords using our website. Your information will make it possible for us to stop them and to warn other students.