Security & fraud prevention

The golden rule

Never pay a single franc before visiting the property in person, meeting your counterpart face to face and checking their documents. No exceptions. No urgency justifies breaking this rule.

Ten warning signs

• A rent far below market for a very attractive property.
• An owner "travelling abroad" who cannot arrange a viewing.
• A request for a deposit to "hold" the property or "book the viewing".
• Pressure to decide immediately, citing another supposed candidate.
• A flat refusal of any in-person meeting or phone call.
• Photos obviously taken from a catalogue or inconsistent with one another.
• Payment demanded via mobile money to an account in a third party’s name.
• A vague address that cannot be located on a map.
• The absence of any ownership document or management mandate.
• Shifting statements about price, surface area or availability.

Preparing the viewing

• Meet during the day, in an accessible place, ideally accompanied.
• Tell someone close to you where and when the appointment is.
• Photograph the property, the meters and any defects.
• Ask to see a title deed, an ownership certificate or a management mandate.
• Check access to water and electricity, and the charges actually due.
• Never hand over money without a dated receipt bearing your name.

Formalising the tenancy

• Insist on a written lease signed by both parties, with an inventory of fixtures attached.
• Keep a copy of every document and every rent receipt.
• Check that the signatory’s identity matches the title deed.
• If in doubt, have the contract reviewed by a legal professional.

What Xaaya puts in place

• A trust score shown on every listing, computed from verifiable signals.
• A market estimate flagging abnormally low prices — the first clue of a scam.
• Automatic listing expiry after thirty days.
• Human verification of owner accounts on request.
• Human moderation of reports within 48 working hours.
• No financial flows: the platform structurally cannot serve as a fraudulent payment channel.

If you think you are a victim

• Stop all communication and all payments immediately.
• Keep every exchange, screenshot and proof of payment.
• Report the account and the listing through the reporting page.
• File a complaint with the competent authorities.
• Alert your mobile money operator if a transfer was made: blocking is sometimes still possible.