I recently responded to an apartment rental ad in Paris that the owner is managing. Flat is attractive but a smidge on the expensive side, not usually scam territory. However, the following email exchange raised a few red flags. The owner purports to have moved to a small town in the South far away and to already have had to come to Paris for a potential renter only to get stood up, and doesn't want to come in vain. They write [translated]:

As indicated in the previous email, and as stipulated in the lease agreement, the payment of the first month's rent will only be made by POSTAL DEPOSIT, the receipt of which (Western Union receipt) will be handed over on the day of the visit after signing the lease agreement. This procedure reassures us of the availability of the funds and prevents unnecessary travel due to the distance. I have already made trips for visits that ended in disappointment because either the interested parties were not present or their first month's rent was not yet ready or sometimes I receive checks without provision.

Procedure for establishing the deposit by mandate (Western Union) You go to a transfer agency (Western Union) with the 1500€ in cash (or your bank card) equipped with your ID, and you simply request to make a transfer via a relative (whom you trust and are easily in contact with); in this case, you can do it in the name of your guarantor or a relative of yours so that they can bring the receipt on the day of the visit. After cashing the funds, the postman will issue you a receipt with references (MTCN code) that should allow the sole beneficiary of the transfer (the relative in question) to withdraw the sum with their ID. Once the transfer is made, you will send me by email the proof (photo or scan) to ensure the availability of the Western Union deposit in the name of your relative; for the confirmation of the appointment. I want to be reassured of the availability of the first month's rent and that you are ready to rent the apartment to avoid any unnecessary travel and avoid being deceived again.

By mutual agreement after the visit, we will proceed with the signing of the lease/handover of the keys and at that moment we will go together to the nearest post office to change the recipient's name of the transfer to my name for withdrawal. If you do not like my apartment, which I highly doubt, you will simply cancel the deposit and your money would be returned to your account.

PS: The first month's rent is not to be sent before the visit. It is just on the details of a close relative of yours in France at first while awaiting our appointment for the visit, it is after the visit and the possible signing of the lease that we will go together to an agency to change the details so that it is put in my name immediately.

The whole procedure seems so contrived, and Western Union is kind of a red flag on its own, as are the owner's reasons for setting this up. However, I do not see where I could lose the money here; I am not familiar with Western Union transfers but it does feel like it should be safe to organize a transfer to a member of my family then to redirect it to the owner after signing the contract + getting the keys. Is this a scam?