Booking holiday
travel? Scammers are looking to take advantage. Fraudsters build fake vacation
rental listings, clone legitimate travel-agency websites, and pose as
"official" booking agents to try and steal your money and personal
information, too.
Watch out for:
- Rental prices dramatically below market rate
- Requests to pay by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency
- Listings with no reviews, or photos that appear elsewhere online
- Urgency "Book now or lose this deal!"
- Bogus travel agents contacting you unsolicited via text or social media
Protect yourself:
- Book directly through well-known, reputable platforms
- Verify a rental exists by searching the address independently
- Pay with a credit card, never wire funds or gift cards
- Call the property or agency directly using a number you find yourself, not one provided in an email or ad
If a deal feels
too good to be true, it probably is.
