Holiday Scam Alert: Expert Reveals 5 Common Accommodation Scams to Avoid

• 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.”