Spotting a student room scam in the Netherlands
The housing shortage makes international students an easy target for scammers. Most room scams follow the same pattern — and once you recognise it, you can usually see through it. These are the main warning signs.
Why room scams work so often
Scammers play on urgency and scarcity: a great room at a low price, lots of interest, and the message that you have to act fast. Under that pressure people transfer money without seeing the room or knowing who they are paying.
Almost every room scam comes down to one rule: never pay before you have seen the room and know who the landlord is. The signals below help you recognise that moment.
What to watch for
Transferring money before you have seen the room in person or via reliable video is the single biggest scam signal.
Question for the landlord
“Can I see the room before I pay anything at all?”
Possible source: Fraudehelpdesk
A landlord who can never be present and wants to post the keys after payment is a common scam story.
Question for the landlord
“Can we video call, and can someone show the room in person?”
A room that is much cheaper than comparable ones is often bait.
Question for the landlord
“Why is the price lower than comparable rooms in the same area?”
If you can't verify who the landlord is, you also can't verify that the room really exists.
Question for the landlord
“Can you prove your identity and your right to rent it out?”
“There are other applicants, pay today” is meant to switch off your judgement.
Question for the landlord
“Can I take the time to look at the room and the contract properly?”
Requests to pay via friend-to-friend payment apps, gift cards or foreign accounts are a red flag.
Question for the landlord
“Can I pay by ordinary bank transfer to a named account, with proof?”
Possible source: Politie — housing fraud
How KamerCheck helps
Add the room
Enter the basics — rent, deposit, city and landlord — or paste the listing text.
Complete the checklist
Answer short questions about the contract, costs, safety and the landlord.
See your score and red flags
You instantly get a risk score and the points to verify before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Fake listings for rooms that don't exist, “landlords” who ask for a deposit up front and then disappear, and copies of real listings with a different bank account. It almost always involves paying in advance.
Report it to the police and to the Fraudehelpdesk. Keep all messages and payment proof, and contact your bank; sometimes a transfer can still be recovered.
Reverse-search the text and photos, ask for a (video) viewing and verify who the landlord is. KamerCheck flags the signals, but cannot confirm fraud with certainty.
Read more
Check your room before you pay
Create a free account and enter the room. You'll immediately see which signals may point to a scam.
Start your free room check