How to spot rental scams
Scammers love a tight housing market. These are the signs to watch for.
- 1 minute read
- Updated 1 October 2026
Warning signs
- You are asked to pay before you have seen the room: to reserve it, for a viewing or to get on a list.
- The landlord is abroad and wants to send the key by post.
- The price is far below other rooms in the same area.
- You are pushed to decide and pay right away.
- Payment is asked in cash, by crypto or to a foreign account.
Check the landlord
- Look up who owns the house in the Kadaster, the land registry.
- For a company, check the business register of the KVK.
- Ask to see the room in person, or by live video with the landlord there.
If you have been scammed
- Contact your bank straight away.
- Report it to the police.
- Report it to the Fraudehelpdesk.
- Renting a room in Amsterdam: the complete guideStart here: how the market works, what to check and how to stay safe.
- Moving to Amsterdam checklistWhat to arrange before and after you move into your room.
- How coliving worksShared houses, house rules and finding housemates who fit.
- Your rental contract explainedPermanent or temporary, and what to check before you sign.
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