We have waited a long time, and it is finally here. Yes, I am talking about summer! Time to get out and expand our universe with some hard earned vacations in sunny destinations. Unfortunately we are not the only ones who look forward to summer vacations. Scammers view summer as Christmas in July fleecing vacationers out of billions of dollars. Most of which come from online travel bookings.
One of the internet’s hottest scams is the fake vacation home rental. Here is how it works:
You, being a diligent and savvy consumer believe you have found a great deal for a condo or house on the beach in your destination of choice. The photos and description look great, and now you are ready to put a deposit down. You correspond by email with the property management company and are then asked to send a deposit by wire transfer. Vacation time arrives and you arrive at your rental only to find out it is occupied by an unsuspecting owner who had no intention to rent.
So how do your protect yourself? Here are some helpful tips to avoid a vacation nightmare:
Always book and pay through legitimate vacation rental home web sites like FlipKey, HomeAway, Airbnb, and VRBO. While nothing is 100 percent full proof, they do have safeguards to protect against fraud.
NEVER NEVER NEVER (do you get the point) WIRE money. Wiring money is electronic cash and you do not have any recourse if someone scams you. Always pay through the legitimate site using a secure method of payment such as a credit card or PayPal. Do not be lured by the so called “owner” to make payment outside of the rental site.
Make sure you are dealing with the actual website and not a phony. Double check the URL making sure it has a small lock and it should start with https:// and not http://. Do not enter your information, especially payment, through a non-verified link.
Be careful of the cheapest properties. One of life’s golden rules holds true for booking your summer rental. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Confirm the legitimacy of the property the best you can. Look at reviews, utilize technology to the fullest extent such as Google’s street view or Skype. Your diligence will pay off.
Trust your instincts. If you see red flags and something is not right, do not make the transaction.
Until next month…stay aware and stay safe.
