Post Last Modified – March 23, 2025 ¦ gr8traveltips.com
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How to Avoid Vacation Rental Scams
I always try to keep up with the latest in travel safety and security and popular tourist scams that affect so many. I was amazed to discover how widespread …
🌺 Vacation Rental Scams 🌺
are around the globe.🌎
This is a very disturbing scam that has been ruining people’s vacations, for quite some time now. Do a quick {Google Search} on the internet on this subject and you will discover like I did, that this type of property scam is definitely becoming a world-wide epidemic.
🕵 Criminals all over, are cashing in on this marketplace scam!
Vacation Rental Scams – Prevention Tips
In many cases when we visit and browse a website on the internet, we just assume it is real. Unfortunately, in many cases, it’s really not. This is particularly so of websites, where a purchase of some sort is to be made. 🕵 Criminals on the internet can easily mask a website to look authentic and real.
It’s called 🎣 phishing!
Phishing Definition:
“The practice of using fraudulent e-mails and copies of legitimate websites to extract financial data from computer users for purposes of identity theft.” Dictionary.com
For example, these vacation rental thieves have sophisticated ways of; hacking into legitimate rental listings on websites. They can put a contact link on that website directed to them, and not to the actual real contact.
Many years ago, I was the victim of a 🎣 phishing scam on a well known and trusted; purchase and selling website. Having little to no knowledge at that time of the importance of {never clicking} on an 📧 email link, you do not know or trust.
I did many years ago and I paid dearly as the result! 🙁
I received an 📧 email I thought was sent from this very popular and well respected company. It looked legitimate, complete with their brand logo. To make a long story short, I became the victim of a {phishing fraud}, losing a ton of money on what I believed I was purchasing was … real!
A hard lesson learned many years ago! 🙁
Tips To Prevent Vacation Rental Scams
First and foremost, know and trust who you are dealing with. Never send 💰 money by way of; wire transfer, on-line bank money transfer, certified check or any other unprotected means, to a stranger.
As well, if someone asks for 💵 cash up front, flatly refuse and find another vacation rental property. Never correspond by personal 📧 email, only directly from that companies 🔒 secure website and email, on first contact.
According to statistics, these thugs will often ask for payment, by the methods I’ve mentioned above. These are ways that you should always definitely – avoid!
If you are going to pay for a rental on your own, always make your payment by way of 💳 credit card or a 🔒 protected service such as; PayPal. Without a doubt, most major credit cards will offer some protection from fraud if reported and accepted.
Using either of these services will at least afford you with some {form of protection}, should you become a victim of fraud.
Always make sure that the actual vacation rental property is real. Check {🗺 Google Maps} and contact their local; Better Business Bureau. It’s always good to check with a reputable business in the area and confirm the business you are dealing with and/or property, does actually exist.
Always Use A Reputable Rental Site
Today, there are some great vacation rental properties businesses, both off and on-line to deal with. These businesses will offer safe and secure booking, together will complete fraud protection in place.
Such well known names include 🏡 Booking With Airbnb 🏡.. VRBO and other reputable highly regarded businesses.
So there really is no need to be going through an non-managed rental firm these days, avoiding any risk of losing your money. All of these reputable firms offer; secure payment options, money back guarantees and much more.
Before booking, be sure to read their; policies, terms and conditions to ensure you are properly protected. These reputable businesses try very hard to protect you by offering; secure payment, visible online user comments, star ratings and much more.
It’s like booking a vacation with someone not trust worthy. Would you do that? There are also many …
and this includes vacation rentals.
You can book safely and securely using a professional travel consultant in your community.
Typical Vacation Rental Scams
First, the scam usually involves a fake advertisement, either in paper form or on the internet. Typical places where you would be searching for vacation rentals.
Payment will then be required to confirm your booking, either a sizable deposit and/or full payment. If the scam artists want payment other than by 💳 credit card or PayPal type form, then this is your first clue that something is wrong. 🚥
I have rented vacation condominiums in the past in such places as; Hawaii and Florida, but only with reputable rental companies. Also after having discussions on the ☎ phone a number of times and confirming the business is legitimate.
Yet even so, if you are going to send money to them as a deposit or payment other than secure ways, you are always taking a risk these days.
In many cases when you arrive to your destination, you discover the address of the rental does not exist at all!
It’s not what you rented or even worse, the owners or caretakers of that rental property have no knowledge of you ever making a booking.
❓ Is there a worse way to spoil a vacation ❓
After working so hard planning and saving for that dream holiday, only to find you have been the victim of a rental scam? Yikes!!
Take the extra care and safeguards mentioned above, so you and your family can enjoy a wonderful stress free holiday. Below, I’ve included a link to a recent article from the {Better Business Bureau} on; Vacation Rental Scams. It gives you an idea of just how serious of an issue this is.
Better Business Bureau – Rental Scams
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✨ Did You Know …
🚕 Popular Travel Scams In Las Vegas {Beware}
🛥 Common Travel Scams In Thailand {Good To Know}
🍹 Don’t Forget It … Be Sure To Pin It! 🍹
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