Million-dollar fraud in Herrsching: Tenant only paid one euro!

Million-dollar fraud in Herrsching: Tenant only paid one euro!

A spicy chapter in Munich's real estate sector is beginning a new course: Manfred L., a 57-year-old from Munich, has turned out to be a fraudster who purchased a luxurious villa on Lake Ammersee for 3.82 million euros - but never paid a cent for it. Loud tz He was able to convince the seller to let him move into the high-priced property before paying, using a supposedly large inheritance as an excuse.

From November 2022, Manfred L. lived in the house with his wife, agreed on a symbolic rent of one euro plus 500 euros for additional costs, but the seller never saw the money for her amount. After three months without payment, the property was full and the landlady filed an eviction notice.

Scams at a glance

Unfortunately, Manfred L.'s story is not an isolated case. More and more consumers are falling victim to scams that are becoming increasingly complicated. Fraud strategies are ubiquitous, especially in the real estate sector. As the Herfurtner law firm As explained, real estate fraud includes deceptions of all kinds, such as false identities, overpriced properties or even non-existent sales offers. The emotional and financial burden on those affected is often immense.

A particularly perfidious example is the use of forged documents, which, according to... Mercury are currently in circulation. Fraudsters send fake court letters from the Munich District Court threatening account seizures and legal consequences. These letters come both by post and email, with online fraud becoming rampant.

How to protect yourself

Consumers should be careful and check the authenticity of such reminder notices. Here too, advice from experts is of utmost importance. In fact, according to the Herfurtner law firm, if you suspect real estate fraud, you should simply have the documents checked independently and consult a lawyer to be on the safe side.

For Manfred L., the consequences of his fraud are already noticeable: After he would have had to vacate the house by June 2023, he tried to escape and was finally taken into custody on March 4, 2025. In a final verdict, he received two years in prison, while he was on open probation at the time of the crime.

Business practices in the real estate sector are extremely sensitive. This makes it all the more important not only to protect yourself from fraudsters, but also to learn from other people's mistakes. A meticulous review of all documents, obtaining legal advice and checking the integrity of sellers or brokers could prevent many of these problems.

Overall, the real estate market in Munich remains an exciting but also risky terrain, where every buyer and seller is well advised to keep their eyes open and protect themselves in good time.