Rental scams have increased manifold in recent times. People looking for a short getaway often get fooled by prevalent rental scams.
Last week, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a warning to consumers seeking vacation rentals.
“Summer plans can quickly melt if consumers aren’t careful when they book their getaway,” James said in a statement.
“Vacation fraud happens every year, but there are ways to avoid it and protect yourself from getting burned,” she added.
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Follow these precautions before booking a rental place to avoid your well-deserved vacation turning into a nightmare.
Only book through credit cards
Credits cards are the best payment method to book vacation rentals. Your money can be easily traced if you use a verified payment source. You will also be protected under the Fair Credit Billing Act, which allows you to dispute unauthorized charges. your credit card company can get your money back if you get scammed.
Verify the owner
Before you book your listing, make sure the renter has valid id proof, address, and phone number.
Look out for fake listings
Remember to look out for fake positing on rental websites like Airbnb or VRBO. Read multiple
reviews of the place on the website and make sure the reviews don’t have the same phrases.
Communicate with the host
Message the owner before you make any payment. Do not share your email id or phone number before your booking is accepted and you have verified the owner.
Verify the pictures on the website
Use reverse image search of photos on google and make sure the pictures are authentic. Look out for any grainy pictures of the property and ensure that pictures are not picked from another website.
