Groningen housing is competitive and scammers know it. Here are the most common red flags, a quick safety checklist, and what to do if something goes wrong.
If you’re looking for a room in Groningen, you’ll quickly notice two things:
- the good places go fast, and
- some “too good to be true” offers are exactly that.
Scammers thrive on urgency. Your best defense is a simple rule:
If you feel rushed, slow down.
The biggest red flags (Groningen edition)
1) “Pay first to secure it”
Deposit/first month requests before a viewing or a proper contract = 🚩. Student support orgs in Groningen explicitly warn against this.
2) The landlord is “abroad” and can’t show the place
Classic story. They’ll offer keys by post, a “relative”, or a fake Airbnb-style arrangement.
3) The price is unreal for the location
If it’s center-adjacent, fully furnished, bills included, and cheap… pause. Compare with similar listings.
4) “Send your passport photo now”
Be careful with IDs. If you must share ID later in the process, use safer methods (e.g., the Dutch KopieID approach) and never overshare early.
5) Weird pressure tactics
“Many people are interested, pay in 30 minutes or you lose it.” Real landlords may have demand, but scammers weaponize panic.
6) No real address, no proper viewing, no video call
At minimum, verify the address exists (Google Maps), and insist on a viewing or a live video walkthrough.
7) Payment requests that are hard to trace
Crypto, gift cards, Western Union, cash, “friend-to-friend only” transfers… 🚩.
A 2-minute safety checklist before you pay anything
- ✅ You (or a trusted friend) viewed the place in person or via live video call
- ✅ You have the full name + contact details of the landlord/agency
- ✅ The address exists and matches the photos
- ✅ The contract looks normal (rent, deposit, dates, who pays utilities)
- ✅ You’re paying to a named Dutch bank account that matches the contract details
- ✅ No one is pressuring you to act “right now”
If you think you’ve been scammed (do this fast)
- Contact your bank immediately (time matters for any chance of reversing a transfer).
- Save evidence: screenshots, chat logs, listing link, payment proof, names, bank details.
- Report it:
- Dutch police info/non-emergency line: 0900-8844
- Police info on online fraud reporting (“internetoplichting”)
- Report it to the Dutch anti-fraud hotline (Fraudehelpdesk), they collect reports and can advise: 088-786 7372, Home - Fraudehelpdesk
