Housing scammers are using artificial intelligence and stolen property photos to post fake apartment listings on social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook.
The fraudulent ads often peak during the summer months when students and international arrivals are urgently searching for accommodation across Dutch cities.
How the scam works
Fraudsters copy photos and property details directly from legitimate real estate agencies and repost them under independent accounts.
To attract desperate renters, the fake listings usually advertise attractive apartments at below-market rates while demanding high upfront deposits.
Once prospective tenants reach out, scammers push for immediate payment before allowing any in-person viewings or sending a lease contract.
AI makes listings harder to spot
In the past, rental scams were often easy to spot due to poor grammar and translation errors, but language tools powered by artificial intelligence have largely eliminated those signs.
Researchers note that scammers can now generate fluent text in Dutch and English, making bogus offers appear completely professional.
Foreign students and international workers are particularly vulnerable, as many attempt to secure housing from abroad without visiting the property in person.
How to protect yourself
Housing experts advise house hunters to avoid transferring any money or deposit before viewing a property and signing a formal contract.
Prospective renters can also run a quick reverse image search on listing photos to see if the images originally belong to another estate agent.
If a listing offers a central, spacious apartment at an unusually low price, housing providers warn that it is almost certainly fraudulent.
