Possible Rental Scam in Frankfurt? Looking for Advice

Hi everyone,

I’m moving to Frankfurt in three weeks and have already paid a deposit and the first month’s rent for an apartment. Today, I received a message from the supposed landlord claiming that, according to local regulations, all foreigners must pay the full deposit and an additional month’s rent in advance before they can issue an official receipt or approval.

Frankly, this sounds like a blatant red flag. As far as I know, EU regulations prohibit discrimination between EU citizens and German nationals in matters of rental agreements. The idea that a German municipality would openly violate EU law seems absurd.

For context:

I’m a French citizen. I’ve already paid the deposit and the first month’s rent. They’re now asking for an additional 450€ immediately. I’m planning to contact the Frankfurt municipality directly to clarify this, but in the meantime, I’d appreciate any insights or similar experiences. Has anyone else come across this kind of tactic? Is this a known scam, or am I missing something here?

Thanks in advance for any advice.