Airbnb Rental Scam
Don’t believe those “too good to be true” photos of the perfect rental.
T
argeting: Travelers
What It Is: Imposter scam that shows you photos of a property that isn’t real
What They Are After: Airbnb is just one of many innovative new business models that lets people connect to provide affordable accommodations while earning some extra income.
Imposter scams are a growing problem, though. You find a fantastic, affordable place to stay on your next trip, only to find out once you arrive that the owner of the property didn’t know someone had listed his home on Airbnb, and isn’t about to let you spend the night.
How To Avoid It:
- The main problem in these scams is the site itself; victims were tricked into leaving AirBnB’s website or app by “owners” who had a plausible excuse.
- If you’re ever asked to take the transaction outside of a genuine website or app, it’s probably a scam.
- Never conduct business or make payments outside of any website or app.
If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530.
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