How to Read a Used Car Ad: Red Flags Before You Even Call

Most car-buying mistakes start with the advert. A few minutes of careful reading can save you a wasted trip, a bad car or even a scam. This guide shows you how to read a used car ad on sites like Marktplaats or AutoScout24, what the Dutch words mean, which free checks to do, and which red flags tell you to stop before you even pick up the phone.

The Short Version

1. Check who is selling: a private person or a company.
2. Compare the price with similar cars. Much cheaper is a warning, not a gift.
3. Study the photos for what they show, and what they hide.
4. Read the text and learn the Dutch words that matter.
5. Check the registration number for free on the RDW website.
6. Check the seller with the police's free check.
7. Never pay anything before you have seen the car and its papers.

Dutch Words You Will See in Car Ads

Step 1: Who Is Selling?

Most ad sites show whether the seller is a private person (particulier) or a company (bedrijf). This matters a lot, because your rights are different.

• A company: you get legal warranty (wettelijke garantie): the right to have a fault fixed if the car is not what you could reasonably expect. The ACM, the Dutch consumer authority, says a company may not advertise a used car "without warranty" (zonder garantie) to consumers. If you see that, the seller is either breaking the rules or trying to scare you off asking for your rights.
• A private person: you have much less protection. Your checks before buying matter even more.
• A "private" seller with many cars for sale may really be a trader avoiding the rules. Click on the seller's profile and look at their other ads.

For a company, look it up in the free register of the KvK (Kamer van Koophandel, the Dutch Chamber of Commerce) on kvk.nl. Check that the name and address match the ad. Read more in Dealer or Private Seller?

Step 2: Is the Price Right?

Search the same site for the same model, with a similar year, mileage and engine. Put them side by side.

• Much cheaper than the rest? The RDW warns: if a deal seems too good to be true, be extra careful. A very low price usually means a scam, a hidden problem, a damaged history or wrong mileage.
• What is in the price? The ACM says companies must show prices including all costs you cannot avoid. Extras you can choose, like an extra warranty or a cleaning, may cost more, but the ad must make clear what is included. Ask: "Is this the full price to drive the car away?"
• "Bieden" (make an offer): there is no fixed price. Decide your maximum before you call, based on similar cars.

Step 3: Read the Photos Like a Detective

Photos tell you what the seller wants you to see. Look for what is missing too.

Good signs

• Many clear photos from all sides, inside and outside.
• A photo of the dashboard with the engine running, showing the mileage and no warning lights.
• Photos of the service book, bills and the tyres.
• The car is dry and photographed in daylight.

Red flags

• Very few photos, or only one side of the car. The other side may be damaged.
• A wet car or photos at night. Water and darkness hide scratches and dents.
• Photos that look like a brochure, or the background is clearly in another country. They may be stolen from another ad. You can check with a reverse image search, such as Google Lens: it shows where else a photo appears online.
• Warning lights on the dashboard photo.
• Different colours of paint on different panels, or gaps between panels that are not even. These can be signs of accident repairs.
• The number plate is hidden and the seller will not give it when you ask. Some sellers hide it for privacy, which is fine, but a seller who refuses to give it at all is hiding something.

Step 4: Read the Text Carefully

Good signs

• Details that can be checked: when the last service was done, which repairs, how many owners.
• Known problems are mentioned honestly. An honest seller tells you the bad things too.

Red flags

• Very short or vague text, like "runs great, everything works".
• "Moet weg" (must go) or "snel handelen" (act fast): pressure. The RDW warns not to let anyone push you into a quick buy.
• "Handelsauto", "export" or "meeneemprijs" on a car offered to normal buyers: the car may have problems, and the seller wants to avoid responsibility.
• "Kleine schade", "lampje brandt", "loopt niet helemaal lekker" (small damage, a warning light is on, does not run quite right): small words can mean big bills.
• "Zonder garantie" from a company. See Step 1.
• A story about why the price is low: moving abroad, a divorce, a death in the family. Scammers often use sad or urgent stories.
• Contact only by WhatsApp or email, or a paid phone number for "more information".

Step 5: Check the Registration Number for Free

If you have the kenteken, you can check a lot before you call. Enter it in the free RDW Kentekencheck on the RDW website (the RDW is the Dutch government office for vehicles). Compare what you see with the ad:

• Make, model, colour and fuel: do they match the ad and the photos?
• First registration date: does the year match? If the date of first registration in the Netherlands is much later than the first registration date, the car was imported. That is not bad by itself, but its history is harder to check.
• APK expiry date: does it match the ad?
• Stolen: if the check says the car is stolen, the RDW says: do not buy it, and tell the police.
• Can it be transferred? If it says "no", the car cannot be put in your name.
• Recalls: see if the maker has called the car back to fix a known problem. Note: the RDW says makers do not always tell it about recalls.

Check the mileage

If a photo shows the odometer, enter the kenteken and that exact mileage on the RDW website. You get a free judgement of whether that mileage makes sense. You can also ask the seller for the free RDW vehicle report (RDW-Voertuigrapport), which lists all the mileage readings the RDW has recorded.

Remember: the NAP logo in an ad only means the mileage made sense at the last registration. Check the date of that last registration. If it was long ago, the logo tells you little.

Learn more in How to Read an RDW Vehicle Report.

Step 6: Check the Seller and Spot the Scam

The Dutch police have a free online check, "Check de (ver)koper" (check the buyer or seller). You can enter a bank account number (IBAN), phone number, email address or website, and see if others have reported it. The police add a warning: "no reports" does not guarantee the seller is honest.

Practice: Spot the Red Flags in This Ad

Here is a made-up ad. Read it, then look at what is wrong with it.

In English: "Must go because I'm moving abroad! Damage-free, NAP, drives perfectly. Trade car, no warranty. The car is at a transport company and can be delivered after a deposit. WhatsApp only."

• €9,950 for a 2020 Golf with low mileage is far below similar cars. Too good to be true.
• "Moet weg" + moving abroad: pressure and an urgent story.
• "Handelsauto, zonder garantie": the seller wants no responsibility.
• Car at a transport company + deposit: a classic scam. You would never see the car.
• WhatsApp only: the seller wants to leave no trace on the ad site.

Verdict: do not contact this seller. Report the ad to the website.

Red Flags at a Glance

Passed All Checks? Questions for Your First Call

1. Is the car still for sale, and is it in your name?
2. Why are you selling it?
3. Has it ever had accident damage or paint repairs?
4. Do you have the service history and bills? When was the last service?
5. Are there any problems or warning lights now?
6. Can I see the car at your home address, with the papers?
7. Can I have it checked by an independent inspector before I buy?

An honest seller will answer calmly. For more questions to ask and a viewing checklist, use our free Car Viewing Kit.

If You Get Scammed

• Call your bank straight away. Sometimes a payment can still be stopped.
• Report the ad to the website.
• Report it to the police (aangifte doen). Marktplaats advises always doing this.
• Call the Fraudehelpdesk, the Dutch fraud helpline, on 088 786 7372 for advice.

Further Reading

• RDW: tips for buying a vehicle
• RDW: check if the mileage makes sense (Dutch)
• Police: check a buyer or seller (Dutch)
• ACM: rules for prices and warranty in used car ads (Dutch)
• Marktplaats: payment fraud (Dutch)
• AutoScout24: tips to avoid fraud when buying a car (Dutch)
• Fraudehelpdesk (Dutch)

This article reflects information from the RDW, the ACM, the Dutch police, Marktplaats, AutoScout24 and the Fraudehelpdesk available in November 2026. The example ad is made up. Scam methods change quickly, so stay alert to anything that feels wrong.