Safe use of Huurwoningen
All rental properties listed on Huurwoningen are offered by private landlords or agents. The vast majority of these landlords are trustworthy and provide honest information about the property. Unfortunately, a small group of people misuse the trust of Huurwoningen visitors.
User safety is paramount at Huurwoningen. We screen all properties before they are posted on the website. Despite Huurwoningen's efforts to protect landlords and tenants, it's important for users to be vigilant against possible fraud. Scammers are often skilled in their deceptive practices and may sometimes pass through screening unnoticed.
What is a scammer?
A scammer is someone who unlawfully tries to obtain money. On Huurwoningen, these are typically landlords who offer a rental property that is not actually available and request a payment as a deposit or guarantee.
How to recognise a scammer?
Firstly, if something seems too good to be true, it often is! If a beautiful property is offered in a highly sought-after location at a relatively low rent, be cautious. Scammers often list properties in popular cities where they know demand is high.
Never transfer money to a landlord before viewing the property. Not every landlord who asks for a deposit is untrustworthy, but scammers want to receive money as soon as possible, even before you've seen the property or met the landlord. The amount is usually claimed to be a deposit or a guarantee for allocation.
Scammers prefer to remain anonymous, often communicating only via email or phone. If you want to view a property, they often make excuses. The landlord may claim to be too busy to schedule a viewing soon or to be staying abroad. Additionally, a scammer often does not fully address your questions.
How can you minimise the chances of fraud?
To avoid falling into a scammer’s trap, there are some precautions you can take before engaging with a landlord.
- Check the property's photos to ensure they match the description. Also, verify if the rental price is reasonable. If the price is significantly below the city average or the description doesn’t match, there’s a strong chance the landlord isn’t entirely honest.
- Always draw up a rental agreement with the landlord. Scammers often operate without a contract. If the landlord fails to meet the terms, having a signed lease strengthens your position.
- Honest landlords will not ask for a deposit before you've seen the property or signed a contract. A deposit is assurance for the landlord that the property will be returned in good condition once the tenant leaves. You naturally pay this after signing the lease.
- Do not agree to anonymous payment methods, such as Western Union, Airbnb, and Moneygram. Scammers frequently use these, as it’s difficult to trace where the money goes. Also, beware of landlords from abroad.
- Never give a copy of your ID without good reason. Scammers can misuse your identity. Only share your details when signing the lease.
As an extra check, you can verify the property owner via the land registry.
Suspect fraud? Report it immediately to Huurwoningen and do not engage with the landlord.
What to do if you’ve been scammed on huurwoningen?
If you’ve been scammed through Huurwoningen, report it to us as soon as possible. We will block the landlord’s profile immediately and attempt to identify the culprit.
Unfortunately, we cannot file a police report for you, as the victim must do this personally. We always advise reporting internet fraud to the police promptly. Please keep us informed about your report.
What is phishing?
Phishing is a form of internet fraud that exploits personal information. Scammers lure victims to a fake website via an email or text message to extract data. Often, these mimic websites that the victims are members of or registered with. By sending victims a link to the fake site and asking them to log in, a scammer gains access to all their information.
How to recognise a phishing email?
Huurwoningen will never ask you for personal details via email or text not prompted by a change you've made on the website. If you receive an email or text from Huurwoningen requesting personal information without any changes on your part, do not respond or click on any links.
Phishing emails are often impersonal in greeting. Since scammers want you to respond quickly, they often claim your account will be blocked or deleted if you don’t respond within a few days.
How to prevent phishing?
If you receive a phishing email purporting to be from Huurwoningen or suspect phishing, do not respond or click any links. Immediately report phishing to Huurwoningen so we can alert other users. We will always try to trace the source of phishing emails.
What to do if you have fallen victim to phishing?
If you accidentally clicked on a link in a potential phishing email or suspect your information is being misused on Huurwoningen, report it to us immediately. We will take immediate action to prevent your data from being misused.