Praise be to Allah.
There is nothing wrong with guiding others to permissible commercial ventures and feasibility studies that are connected to them and there is nothing wrong with receiving payment for that. This comes under the heading of fees for brokers and guides, which the fuqaha’ said are permissible.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on looking for a store or apartment for a renter in return for payment to be paid by the one for whom he finds what he wants.
He replied: There is nothing wrong with that; it is a kind of wages. But you have to strive hard to find a suitable place that the person wants to rent. If you help him in that and look for a suitable place for him, and you help him to reach an agreement about the rent with the landlord, there is nothing wrong with that in sha Allaah, so long as there is no treachery or deceit; rather it is done in an honest and trustworthy manner. If you are sincere and fulfil the trust in looking for what is wanted, without cheating or wronging him or the property owner, then you are doing something good in sha Allaah.
End quote from Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (19/358).
See also the answer to question no. 45726.
You should beware of scams that are operated via the internet. Someone may take part who claims to have money and to be prepared to pay the fees, so that people will get in touch with him and thus he will get a percentage of the cost of phone calls, and other kinds of tricks and deceit.
And Allaah knows best.
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