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Fake Apartments and Rental Scams Target Students in Prague, Police Warns
Prague Morning
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Prague Police are warning about a growing number of rental fraud cases, with international students among the groups most vulnerable to fake apartment listings.
Leaving everything you know behind is the beginning of a new chapter. A new city. A new home. A new life.
After weeks of searching, you finally have the keys to your apartment in Prague. You climb the stairs of an old building, find the right door and put the key in the lock.
But it will not turn.
You try again. You check the address, look at the contract and reread your messages with the supposed landlord. Everything appears to be in order, except for one crucial detail: the apartment was never yours.
The address exists. The building is real. But the home you thought you had rented does not belong to you.
A Key That Opens No Doors
Rental scams are an increasingly common problem in Prague’s housing market, with international students among the most vulnerable targets.
Many arrive in the Czech capital without knowing the local rental system or having the opportunity to view an apartment in person. The pressure to secure accommodation before the start of the academic year can also make students more vulnerable to convincing-looking fraudulent listings.
In 2024, Czechia ranked ninth among Erasmus+ programme countries for incoming higher education mobility, with approximately 17,000 arrivals, according to Dům zahraniční spolupráce.
The growing number of international students in Prague has also increased the demand for accommodation.
Charles University, one of the city’s largest universities, has repeatedly warned prospective international students about rental fraud. According to its 2024 annual report, the university had 11,455 international students from 139 countries, out of a total student population of more than 54,000.
The university advises students to watch out for several warning signs, including requests for deposits or other payments before a contract has been signed, pressure to finalise an agreement unusually quickly, and landlords who claim to be living abroad.
Offers that appear too good to be true should also raise suspicion.
Three Cases, Nearly CZK 150,000 in Losses
Prague Police have also warned about an increasing number of rental fraud cases involving apartments.
In mid-January, three cases were reported within a single week, resulting in combined losses of nearly CZK 150,000, or approximately €6,000.
One increasingly common method involves collecting deposits from prospective tenants for apartments that are never actually rented out. In some cases, fraudsters advertise properties they do not own or have no right to rent.
Police have not ruled out the possibility that the suspect involved in the January cases may be connected to other similar incidents, meaning the number of victims could be higher.
For international students, the consequences can be particularly severe.
Police and universities therefore advise prospective tenants to verify listings carefully, avoid sending money before signing a contract and viewing the property, and remain cautious of unusually cheap offers or landlords who create pressure to pay quickly.
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