How to avoid scammers on the Dutch rental market? 11 tips!

TLDR

The tight Dutch housing market attracts many scammers who exploit desperate renters through fake listings, rushed decisions, and unusual payment requests. Protect yourself by always viewing properties in person, thoroughly verifying landlords through the Kadaster, and documenting everything. Be extremely cautious of deals that seem too good to be true, avoid Western Union payments, and never let yourself be pressured into quick decisions.

I almost lost €4,000 to a rental scam in Amsterdam. The apartment was perfect: canal view, reasonable price, available immediately. The "landlord" was a charming British professor temporarily teaching in Japan. He had answers for everything. Professional emails. Even a university webpage.

It was all fake.

I discovered this ten minutes before transferring the deposit, when something he said didn't match his earlier story. That near-miss taught me everything about how rental scams actually work in the Netherlands. Here's what I learned—and what could save you thousands.

How Rental Scams Actually Work

First, understand the scammer's psychology. They're not targeting the careful or the skeptical. They're hunting the desperate. In Amsterdam's brutal rental market, that's basically everyone.

The typical scam follows a predictable pattern:

1. The Hook: An apartment 30-40% below market rate
2. The Story: Always a reason they can't show it (abroad, sick relative, COVID)
3. The Pressure: Other interested parties, must decide today
4. The Kill: Western Union or cash deposit before viewing

But modern scammers have gotten sophisticated. They've adapted to our defenses.

1. The "Too Good to Be True" Test—Updated for 2024

Old advice: "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." New reality: Scammers now price apartments just 10-15% below market—believable enough to hook you.

The Real Red Flags:

• Professional photos with no neighborhood context
• Descriptions that could fit any apartment
• Available "immediately" in a market where everything has waiting lists
• Landlord provides extensive backstory unprompted

I analyzed 50 scam listings last month. The pattern? They all used the same 5-6 interior photos (reverse image search is your friend) but with different addresses.

2. Verify the Landlord Like a Detective

Here's what I do now, and what saved me €4,000:

The Cross-Reference Check:

• LinkedIn profile created more than 6 months ago?
• Google their name + their supposed profession
• Check if their communication times match their claimed timezone
• Ask specific questions about the neighborhood

My scammer claimed to be in Tokyo but emailed me at 3 PM Amsterdam time—midnight in Japan. When I asked about the "great coffee shop on the corner," he agreed enthusiastically. There was no coffee shop.

The Kadaster Verification: Yes, spend the €2.95. But know this: smart scammers use real addresses with real owners' names. So also:

• Check if the property is actually for rent (knock on the door)
• See if it's listed elsewhere at a different price
• Verify the owner matches who you're talking to

3. The Viewing Game Has Changed

"Always view the apartment" isn't enough anymore. New scam: showing you an Airbnb they've rented for the day.

The Anti-Scam Viewing Protocol:

• Ask to see utility bills in the owner's name
• Check mailbox names
• Turn on taps, check the boiler (Airbnbs often have hidden hotel-grade boilers)
• Ask neighbors: "How long has [owner's name] lived here?"
• Request to see the property at an unusual time

One scammer showed the same Airbnb to 12 different people in one weekend, collecting deposits from each. €36,000 in two days.

4. The Key Test Is Outdated

Old wisdom: "Make sure the keys work." New problem: Of course they work—it's an Airbnb.

Better tests:

• Ask for keys to the building's bike storage
• Request access to the building's garbage room
• Check if the key has the typical Dutch security certificate
• See if there are multiple locks (Dutch apartments usually have 2-3)

5. The Neighbors Know Everything

Dutch directness is your best defense. Knock on doors. But ask the right questions:

Not: "Is this apartment for rent?" But: "I'm viewing the apartment, have there been many viewings lately?"

Not: "Do you know the owner?" But: "Is [fake name] still the owner, or did they sell?"

If they look confused, you have your answer.

6. The Social Media Paradox

Facebook Marketplace is scammer paradise. But it's also where I found my legitimate apartment. The difference?

Scam indicators:

• Profile created recently
• Only posts are rental listings
• Generic profile photos
• Multiple listings in different cities

Legitimacy indicators:

• Normal life posts going back years
• Local friends commenting in Dutch
• Check-ins at Dutch locations
• Complaining about NS trains (the ultimate Dutch authenticity test)

7. Registration: The Ultimate Litmus Test

If they say you can't register at the address, run. But scammers have adapted here too. Now they say "Of course you can register!"—knowing you'll discover the truth after paying.

The Protection Play:

• Write registration permission into the contract
• Get it in writing via email
• Make registration a condition of the lease
• Verify with the gemeente that the address allows registration

8. Western Union Is Dead, Long Live the New Scams

Nobody falls for Western Union anymore. Today's payment scams:

The "Booking Deposit": Pay €500 to "reserve" viewing slots The "Contract Fee": €150 for "preparing documents" The "Insurance Deposit": First month + deposit + "insurance" The "Cash Only": For "tax reasons" (bonus: no proof of payment)

Real landlords take bank transfers. Period. If they claim their "Dutch bank account has issues," they're not real landlords.

9. Document Like Your Life Depends on It

My documentation saved a friend €2,000 in court. Here's the system:

The Triple Archive Method:

1. Screenshot everything immediately (listings disappear)
2. Forward all emails to a dedicated Gmail account
3. Backup all WhatsApp chats to cloud

The Details That Matter in Court:

• Time stamps on all communications
• The original listing URL and text
• Phone numbers (even if later disconnected)
• Bank account details they provided
• Any video calls or voice messages

10. The Pressure Is the Scam

Every scammer uses urgency. Their creativity is impressive:

• "My mother is in the hospital, need money today"
• "Other family viewing in 1 hour"
• "Leaving country tonight"
• "Bank closes in 30 minutes"

Here's the truth: Real apartments in Amsterdam don't need pressure tactics. They have 100 applicants. Legitimate landlords can wait 24 hours for your decision.

11. The Nuclear Option That Works

If something feels wrong but you're not sure, try this: "I'd like my Dutch lawyer to review the contract first."

Watch what happens. Legitimate landlords say "Sure, but please be quick." Scammers? They vanish faster than bikes in Amsterdam.

The Scams I'm Seeing Right Now (September 2025)

The Sublet Scam: Renting you an apartment they don't have permission to sublet The Airbnb Flip: Short-term rental presented as long-term The Renovation Scam: Take deposit, claim "renovation delays," disappear The Agency Scam: Fake agencies charging "finding fees" for non-existent properties

What to Do If You've Been Scammed

1. Report immediately to police (you need the report for insurance)
2. Contact your bank (sometimes transfers can be reversed)
3. Post in expat groups (warn others, sometimes find other victims)
4. Document everything for small claims court (Rechtspraak.nl)

The Silver Lining

Here's the thing: for every scammer, there are 20 legitimate landlords just trying to rent their property. The scammers are loud and visible because they advertise aggressively. The real landlords? They're often overwhelmed by responses and pick the first qualified tenant.

Your job isn't to be paranoid. It's to be prepared. Use these checks as a filter, not a fortress.

I did find my apartment eventually. The landlord was real, the apartment was lovely, and yes—the keys worked. But more importantly, I knew they would before I ever transferred a cent.

Stay smart, stay skeptical, but don't lose hope. Your Amsterdam apartment is out there. Just make sure it's actually real before you pay for it.