Room-rental scams: the red-flag checklist

The room hunt is when newcomers are most vulnerable to fraud. These are the warning signs that mean walk away, every time.

Walk away if any of these are true

• The landlord is conveniently “abroad” and cannot show you the place in person or on a live video call — only offers photos or a pre-recorded video.
• You are asked to pay before viewing — deposit, first month, or an “administration fee,” especially via wire transfer, Western Union, or cryptocurrency.
• The price is well below comparable listings for the same neighbourhood and room type. If it looks too good to be true for Arnhem, it is.
• There is pressure to decide immediately — “three other people are interested, pay today to secure it.” Real landlords can wait a day for a decision.
• No proper rental contract, or one that is vague about the exact address, the deposit amount, or the notice period.
• You are told you cannot register at the address (no inschrijving/BRP allowed). This usually means illegal subletting, and it will block your BSN, DigiD, health insurance, and often your ability to open a bank account or get a phone contract.
• The same photos appear elsewhere under a different name, city, or price. Reverse-image-search the main photo before replying to any listing that feels slightly off.

Basic checks that catch most scams

1. Insist on a live video call walkthrough with whoever holds the keys, not just photos.
2. Ask for the landlord or agency’s name and, for agencies, their KvK (Chamber of Commerce) number — a legitimate business will not hesitate to share it.
3. Never send money before you have seen the place and have a signed contract with the correct address on it.
4. Search the exact listing text in quotes — copy-pasted scam listings often turn up verbatim on multiple sites.