Scam Alert: Vacation Rental Scams
- TrainMyParent.com
- Nov 13
- 3 min read
Lately we have been seeing an uptick of Vacation Rental Scams, in which scammers create fake listings for properties that do not exist or are not for rent. The scammer promotes the vacation rental listing and acts as the property host to collect the booking fees, and then *poof* they disappear. Instead of having a great vacation, the victims find out they have no place to stay, and less money to spend.
What to look for in a false vacation listing?
The fake ones are often difficult to spot, but there are some clues that could raise warning flags for you:
Sparse Information: Fake listings usually have limited information about the vacation property. They often have only a few photos, very few details about the rental. The property does not exist or is not for rent, so there really is not a lot of information that can be provided.
Few Reviews: Because they usually are new listings, there often are not many reviews for the scammers' listings.
An Awesome Price: The fake listings entice potential victims through a great price that is lower than other similar properties. If you feel like the listing is too good to be true, it should set off a warning alarm.
Contact Information is Different: If there is an inconsistency between the listing and the booking contact information, it is definitely a signal that you should be cautious.
Direct Payment: Often, the scammers insist on having you pay them directly instead of going through the actual vacation rental website, supposedly to avoid fees or for giving you a discounted rate. If you pay them directly, there is no involvement by the vacation rental company, and no recourse for you if the reservation goes sour.
How to Avoid Vacation Rental Scams
Avoiding scams like these requires you to pay attention to the booking process. You can minimize your risk by doing the following:
Always book through the vacation rental website, and never directly with the property host or other website.
With a trusty web browser, perform a search of the address to find pictures of the property. Do the property's pictures match the listing? Are there other clues in the search that might raise your suspicions?
With a trusty web browser, perform an image search using the listing's images. If the property is fake, the scammers typically would reuse photos from another listing to make it look legitimate. A search for the fake listing's images might find the real property that is pictured in the listing.
Avoid bait and switch schemes by confirming details with the property host prior to your trip. A legitimate vacation listing's host should be available for discussing details about the reservation.
Periodically search for that vacation property's listing in the weeks leading up to your trip. If it is a legitimate listing, it usually can be found again for additional bookings (but not for the dates you already reserved). If the listing disappears, or is listed as Available during your planned stay, contact the vacation rental website and alert them of the potential scam. They may be able to get you into a different property much more easily than if you wait until your vacation day to find your reservation was a scam.
Pay with a credit card. Do not pay with a debit card, crypto currency, gift card, or other methods. Credit card companies can provide an additional layer of protection if you do get scammed.
Scammers keep improving on their schemes and ways to steal your money or personal information. Avoiding these scams requires us to be vigilant and on the defense, always looking for clues that what is too good to be true is indeed a scam.
Learn how you can protect yourself or your family by enrolling in the Complete Internet Security Basics and Phishing Awareness Course for Parents on TrainMyParent.com
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