GREENSBORO, N.C. — Your vacation rental seems like a dream until you get there and find you have
nowhere to stay because of a scammer listed your rental.
Lechelle Yates with Better Business Bureau is here to raise the alarm. “It’s not too late to protect yourself whether your looking now for the holidays or you’ve already booked a trip for now or later.”
That’s good news. Here’s how the rental scam works: the fraudsters simply copy the photos of a vacation property and post it online. The rental listing seems real because it is. The scammer’s goal is to get your deposit. So, what they do is they take you off the AirB&B or VRBO site by saying they can get you a cheaper price if you don’t go through the app or website. This MAY SEEM like a good idea, to save a bit of money, but don’t. When you go off-site you have no protections from the site.
Here’s another way they work the scam: the fraudsters clone the site. “So, you think you’re on AirB&B but you’re not. And these fake sites are well done. AirB&B and the others always trolling the internet to find the spoofed sites but they are out there.” How do you know if they’re spoofed? It’s difficult, but there are some points:
*If the price seems too good to be true. It probably is.
*Find the name of the place you’re staying and cross-check it or call and ask if they really have a listing on Homeaway or Airbnb.
*Always pay with a credit card.
“You can dispute the charge if your rental turns out to be fake. So, if you’re booked on a trip go check your rental reservation right now!”
Scammers are tricking home and apartment renters too. BBB has information on that as well as part of a new study.