If your subletting there’s already a deposit in place from that person. There’s no legal reason for you to leave another deposit. You would be signing a lease typically for a rent that is 10% more than what they are paying.

Is the landlord involved in the sublet? Or just the tenant?

If just the tenant, 99.99999% scam. If landlord, next question.

Is it for more than 3 months? If no, its illegal, and therefore a scam. If greater than 3 months, there is no usual method. Most things are scams. Be careful

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If the apartment is in a building with four or more units, the landlord has to give his or her consent for it be legal. In all likelihood it sounds like a scam. If you pay that money, you're never going to see that "refundable" deposit & 1st month's rent.

Are you doing this from Europe and sight unseen? Asking because you said the receipt from payment is proof for the "tour" (??) and move in. Please don't do anything sight unseen. What does the tour mean exactly.

I will go against what some have said here and say a deposit isn't impossible, but they need to keep it in interest making escrow account. A deposit is specifically for damages, which the regular tenant is responsible for so I can see someone charging a deposit and have actually paid one in a sublet and everything was on the up and up. This place was also furnished, so I was also using their things. The landlord also was aware of/approved sublet, so you want to make absolute sure that is happening as well.