Accommodation Scams in Cologne, Germany

How it works

During major trade fairs at Koelnmesse — including the International Dental Show (IDS), Gamescom, Art Cologne, and DMEXCO — fraudulent companies cold-call exhibitors and visitors claiming to be official accommodation partners. They offer rooms at familiar hotels at attractive rates, collect payment in advance, and disappear. Victims arrive in Cologne to find no reservation exists and accommodation is scarce due to full fair occupancy. Koelnmesse issues repeat warnings that it has never hired outside companies to handle individual hotel reservations.

How it works

Fraudulent apartment listings targeting tourists and short-stay visitors appear on platforms including Airbnb clones, Facebook groups, and classified sites. Scammers use professionally stolen photos of real Cologne apartments, list prices well below market rate, and claim to be abroad — typically asking for a deposit or full payment via bank transfer before any viewing. Once payment is sent, the listing disappears and the scammer is unreachable. This scam is particularly active around major Koelnmesse events and Cologne Carnival when legitimate accommodation is fully booked and prices spike.