An online expert has issued a warning about holiday let scams, noting that August is the peak month for bookings.
- An online expert has alerted travelers to frequent scams related to holiday accommodation bookings.
- The caution follows a 28% increase in bookings from last year, with August identified as the peak month for reservations.
- Tourists heading to France should remain vigilant, as it led the EU in accommodation bookings last August.
- Other high-risk destinations for scams include Italy, Spain, Greece, Croatia, and Germany.
An expert has issued a warning about a surge in holiday accommodation scams this August, following data that shows it was the peak month for bookings last year.
According to QR Code Generator, a recent report highlights that travelers spent 123.7 million nights in accommodations booked through Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia Group, and TripAdvisor during the first quarter of this year. This marks a 28.3% increase from the same period last year, raising concerns that scammers may intensify their efforts to exploit the growing demand.
Travelers should exercise extra caution when booking European accommodations this month, as August was the busiest month for bookings in 2023, making it a prime time for scams.
Popular destinations, which saw higher accommodation bookings last year, should be approached with heightened vigilance due to the increased risk of fraud.
European destinations most at risk of accommodation scams
Marc Porcar, CEO of QR Code Generator, warns, “With a significant increase in interest for holiday accommodations through platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com compared to last year, scammers are also looking to exploit this surge in demand.
“People often assume that listings on familiar sites are legitimate and proceed with bookings without proper verification, especially when properties appear to have limited availability or offer short-term discounts.”
Here are some of the most common scams to watch out for:
- Fake Listings – Scammers create fake accommodation listings to trick people into paying for non-existent properties
- Phishing Scams – Fraudulent emails or messages mimic legitimate booking sites to steal personal or financial information
- Fake Reviews – Fraudulent reviews are posted to artificially inflate the reputation of a scam property or damage the reputation of legitimate ones
- Payment Fraud – Scammers request payment through insecure methods, such as wire transfers or prepaid gift cards, rather than secure booking platforms
- Bait-and-Switch – After booking, the scammer provides a different, often inferior, property than what was advertised
Marc continues: “To avoid being scammed via fake listings, make sure you verify the accommodation you’re looking at by checking reviews and ratings. Even go so far as to look the property up on Google Maps, as we’ve seen instances of the listed property not existing at all. Remember if things seem too good to be true, they likely are.
“To protect yourself from phishing scams, hover over links to check the actual URL before clicking. Be cautious of URLs that are misspelled or closely mimic legitimate sites. Secondly, avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments from unknown or unexpected sources. Instead, go directly to websites by typing the URL into your browser.
“Lastly, be skeptical of unsolicited emails. Treat unexpected messages, especially those asking for personal or financial information, with caution, and always verify the sender’s legitimacy before taking any action
“To avoid falling victim to fake review scams, prioritise verified reviews from buyers or guests, as many platforms label these to show the reviewer has actually used the service or product. Secondly, be cautious of reviews that are excessively positive or negative, as a sudden influx of similarly worded reviews may suggest manipulation.
“Additionally, examine reviewer profiles for authenticity; profiles with limited activity or generic names could be fake. When making a booking, use secure payment methods such as credit cards or reputable payment platforms. Also, verify that the payment site is secure by checking for ‘https’ in the URL and a padlock icon in the address bar.
“Verify details to ensure the property or service matches the description and images provided. If possible, contact the company directly to confirm the details. Additionally, compare the deal you’re offered with similar listings to spot any discrepancies or unusually low prices that might indicate a bait-and-switch scam.”
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