German Airbnb owner rents out a student dorm room to a traveler under the guise of a real apartment, traveler reports him: ‘He openly bragged about running illegal Airbnbs as a side hustle’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Dec 20, 2025 4:00 AM EST

A traveler in Germany books an Airbnb from a host, but ends up reporting him when they realize the room they rented was actually a German school's student housing.

Side-hustle culture means that many aspirational members of the working world are willing to do whatever it takes to get the bag. If you're not conning or harming anyone, what's the big deal? We all have to make it in this world one way or another, and if filling out surveys with pesky pop-up ads gets us an extra $100 a month, more power to us. These grocery bills won't pay themselves! Side-hustle culture has been gaining popularity in the last few years because of terms like "grindset" and that strange side of LinkedIn where everyone overshares.

What are the quirks and scenarios that nomadic travelers shouldn't expect when slumming it around Europe? Travel experts urge you to watch out for pickpockets, find a trusted RFID-blocking wallet, and think twice about which strangers you should and shouldn't trust. Some of these tips are classics, and others might make you Google what "RFID" is. Either way, you can be as careful and considerate as you possibly can, and you'll still be surprised by how intricate some scammers are with their cons. They don't discriminate; everyone is an equal target in this wild world. When seasoned travelers urge you to expect the unexpected and then some, you believe them. Even Airbnb hosts are out for the coin with little reluctance in who they knock down along the way.

You probably wouldn't expect an Airbnb host to rent out a room in a student housing building, because that would be preposterous! Who in their right mind would do that or have access to school housing? That seems far-fetched, and honestly, illegal. Right… it is illegal. That's what happens to the traveler in the story below, and the Airbnb owner gets even more snappy with them when they start to figure out the scheme. This Airbnb owner admits to, and even brags about, having multiple Airbnbs for passive income while he, a student, completes his studies. To the authorities, your name goes, German student-turned-Airbnb owner. Scroll below to get the full scoop on this housing scheme.

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  • a young woman sitting in a dormitory room with bunk beds
    via Andrej Lišakov For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • "You try to con me, I report you everywhere"

    I needed a room for six weeks in a big German city. I went on Airbnb in September and found a room.
    via chelco95
  • The Airbnb description said it had Wi-Fi, a window in the kitchen, and was close to where I would be working.
    via chelco95
  • I got along with the owner, exchanged numbers, and asked whether we could find a solution without Airbnb.
    via chelco95
  • We agreed that I would pay directly and avoid Airbnb fees. On 02.11 | suddenly received a new address for the apartment.
    via chelco95
  • When I arrived, I found out he was renting out a student dorm room. This was never mentioned in the description.
    via chelco95
  • There was no Wi-Fi, the photos didn't match, and the apartment was very dirty. I needed the room, so I paid him the agreed amount, the same price we had agreed on for the original Airbnb apartment.
    via chelco95
  • Immediately I was confronted with his rules. No guests, and if he found out I would have to pay.
    via chelco95
  • If the apartment was dirty, he would charge me extra. These were presented as threats. Over the following weeks, every time I raised an issue, he threatened me with extra costs and insulted me.
    via chelco95
  • I then started digging and found out he was a subtenant of a subtenant of a subtenant.
    via chelco95
  • He had found the student apartment only five days before I moved in and lied to the tenant above him, saying I was a friend.
    via chelco95
  • He paid around 400 euros for the whole period while charging me 800 euros. He never mentioned Airbnb.
    via chelco95
  • He is a student and openly bragged about running illegal Airbnbs as a side hustle alongside his studies.
    via chelco95
  • He is not allowed to do this because his visa does not permit it. Because the insults and threats continued, I reported his Airbnbs to the German Ordnungsamt.
    via chelco95
  • The city has a platform to report illegal Airbnbs, and it was easy since all six of his listings were visible on his Airbnb profile.
    via chelco95
  • I also reported him to the German finance authorities, as they investigate untaxed business activity. Finally, I sent all screenshots to the police under the categories of insult, threats, and blackmail.
    via chelco95
  • german police officers
    via Markus Spiske for Unsplash

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Also, I know hiw visa is till 2026, so he'll have fun trying to explain why he wasnt studying
    via chelco95
  • LogicalStomach Thank you for pouring salt all over this leech.
    via LogicalStomach
  • jugglegeese You should also try to report it to Airbnb so his listings will be removed. Provide all the documentation and conversations to support it.
    via jugglegeese
  • Fantom_Renegade Burn, baby burn
    via Fantom_Renegade
  • smilineyz Disco inferno
    via smilineyz

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dorm room Airbnb renting traveling illegal entitled people
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