Social media housing scams duping renters in the Netherlands and Spain

In the Netherlands, scammers use TikTok to post counterfeit rental advertisements for apartments in cities such as Zwolle, Deventer and Hengelo. The fake accounts, often posing as agents, demand a €100 fee to schedule a viewing or half a month’s rent to ‘reserve’ a property, then collect personal details and payment before disappearing. Real estate professionals warn that legitimate rentals are only listed on official platforms like Pararius and Funda.

In Spain, viral social‑media posts claim fully furnished homes can be bought for €5,000‑€8,000. Investigations reveal that most of these offers are actually garden sheds, tiny prefab kits or incomplete construction packs that require additional costs of €30,000‑€60,000 for transport, foundations and utilities, and are not legally recognized as dwellings. Brands such as Boxabl, Leroy Merlin and Amazon are mentioned, but buyers end up with structures unsuitable for habitation.