Whether you want to see a snow-capped rocky mountain or visit a sandy and soft beach, vacation rentals keep on rising in popularity. The reason for this is that they provide authentic and unique experiences for tourists.
The truth is that around 80% of travelers say that they plan to book a vacation rental rather than a hotel.
However, this means there is an opportunity for scammers to take advantage of tourists. That is why we are here to help.
Whether you’re booking Airbnb homes, Pinetop cabins, or other vacation rentals, here are some tips to help you avoid scams.
Read the Recent Review of the Property
Usually, most vacation rental properties only allow guests to leave a review. Sometimes, you will have to stay for at least 14 days before you can leave a review. Because of this, it is wise to sift through the review section of the property and search for feedback on both the host and the property.
If a listing doesn’t have a review, you need to proceed with caution. The vacation rental industry is constantly growing. Thus, it is pretty common for new listings to pop up now and then.
If this is the case, the host should indicate in the description or headline that it’s new.
Only Use Secure Methods When Paying
You should not use cash, check, or send a wire transfer to pay for a reservation. The most effective and safest method is via a secure payment system offered on the website or in an application. Usually, these methods are equipped with scam monitoring features. They are also often encrypted.
Be Careful of Odd Requests or Communications
Whenever you’re assessing whether or not the vacation rental, you’re planning to book is legit, pay close attention to your communication with the host.
You should consider it a red flag if you notice the host is using weird sentence structures and typos.
Also, you should consider the host a scammer if he or she asks for personal information, such as social security number or credit card. You should only give these details in a secure payment system and not through email, chat, or phone calls.
Compare Listing Details Throughout Reliable Websites
It is normal for vacation rental managers to list their properties on several different marketplaces. These marketplaces include Google, Booking.com, Airbnb, and more.
That is why you can search a rental properly throughout various platforms and ensure the listing is consistent on every channel. Things to look for include:
- Per night pricing
- Property photos
- Contact details
However, you have to keep in mind that rates can differ a bit from one website to another. Still, there should not be major swings across them.
Furthermore, you need to look for a heavy presence of weird sentence structures or typos. Nonsensical or repetitive messages and bad language skills are common with scammers.
If you notice that there are a lot of differences between various listings, it’s a sign that you should avoid that vacation rental and look for another one.
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