1. Payment before the viewing
The number-one scam. The "landlord" asks you to pay the deposit or first month before you've even viewed the place, often on the pretext that "lots of people are interested".
Golden rule: never pay a cent before you've viewed the home and signed a lease.
2. The landlord "abroad"
A classic variant: the landlord explains they're an expat, travelling, or abroad, that they therefore can't show you around, but that they'll send the keys once payment is received. This is almost always a scam.
3. The Western Union transfer (or crypto)
If you're asked to pay via Western Union, cash transfer, prepaid cards or cryptocurrency, run. These payment methods are untraceable and unrecoverable: no serious landlord uses them.
4. The bank card scan
Some "agencies" ask for a photocopy or scan of your bank card "to check your solvency". Refuse: it is a scam signal. A genuine landlord asks for your payslips (or your guarantor's), never your banking details.
5. Fake photos on classified ads
On platforms like Marktplaats (the local equivalent of classifieds sites), advertisers use photos of beautiful homes that are already rented as bait, while the real property is in poor condition, or doesn't exist.
Check: run a reverse image search on the photos. If they show up on ten other listings, be suspicious.
6. "Key money" and contract fees
Some landlords demand a sum "to secure the home" (key money, sleutelgeld, contract fees). Do not pay it: it is one of the most common scam signals. When you move in, the normal amounts are the rent, the utilities and the deposit set out in the lease.
7. Agency fees charged to the tenant
An agency showing you a home may present you with an invoice. Before paying anything, ask who it works for and what the amount covers. A commission asked by the agent marketing the property for the landlord should put you on alert: get everything explained in writing.
8. The sloppy or non-existent lease
No written contract, a vague lease, no mention of the possibility of registration (inschrijving)… these are all warning signs. Always insist on a clear, written lease.
Why remote applicants are the favourite targets
Fraudsters go first for applicants searching from abroad: no way to view quickly, calendar pressure (a start date, the school year), and little familiarity with local practice. Someone writing from Paris, London or New York with a move in six weeks ticks every box.
Three countermeasures when you're searching remotely:
- Have someone you trust view the place: a colleague already in the city, a friend, or a local professional who visits and films it for you.
- Insist on a live video call from inside the property: not a pre-recorded clip. A fraudster who "hasn't got time" or whose "camera isn't working" has just given themselves away.
- Cross-check the listing: the same address on Funda or Pararius at a different price, or photos that turn up elsewhere in a reverse image search, are immediate red flags. Our comparison of rental websites covers the platforms worth using.
What to do if you've already been caught
If you have already paid, every hour counts:
- Contact your bank immediately to try to block or recall the transfer (still possible in the first few hours on a SEPA transfer).
- File a report with the Dutch police (fraud can be reported online) and flag the case to the Fraudehelpdesk, the national anti-fraud body.
- Report the listing to the platform to spare other victims, keeping every screenshot and message exchange.
- If you handed over identity documents, watch for any identity theft and report that too.
The chances of recovering the money are unfortunately slim after 24–48 hours, which is exactly why the preventive reflexes above matter so much.
The ultimate reflex: check the real owner
Have doubts about the landlord's identity? The Dutch public land registry (Kadaster) lets you find out, for about €3, who really owns a property. A few euros that can save you thousands.
Anti-scam checklist
- ☐ I've viewed the home (or had a trusted person view it) before any payment
- ☐ The landlord agrees to meet me
- ☐ I'm not asked for Western Union, crypto, or a bank card scan
- ☐ No "key money" or mediation fees charged to me
- ☐ I have a written lease, with registration allowed
- ☐ I've checked the owner on the Kadaster if needed
Want to search without risk? Let's talk about your move: as professionals based in Amsterdam, we view properties, verify owners and secure every step for you.
In summary
Scams in Amsterdam all play on urgency and distance. The best antidote fits in one sentence: never pay before you've viewed and signed, and always check who you're dealing with. With these reflexes (or a local professional at your side) you eliminate 99% of the risk.
