The National Police, together with Airbnb and Confianza Online, have collaborated in alerting to possible scams in vacation rentals, advising how to avoid them.
The recovery in the rental of spaces to stay on vacation has accelerated considerably during the first quarter of 2022, even exceeding the levels of 2019, when the health crisis situation had not yet begun.
“Being foresighted when booking is an advantage when it comes to being able to opt for the most demanded spaces and at competitive prices”, the National Police point out. However, leaving everything to the last minute can cause, due to the rush and fear of not finding a good option, some incidents to occur. These events can especially affect those who are not used to booking a house online or who do not know how the platform works, as they may be affected by false links or information.
With the aim of ensuring that users book with peace of mind and find a trusted host this summer, the National Police, Airbnb and Confianza Online have worked together to ensure that guests can be alert to detect and avoid fraud.
Some of the signs and tips to avoid scams when booking summer vacations are:
Beware of messages with suspicious links
Do not click on links included in emails that do not inspire confidence. They may contain links to fake websites that mimic the design of Airbnb to try to steal personal information or infect devices. In this situation, return to the home page by typing https://www.airbnb.es in your browser and continue browsing from there. Find out here how to detect if an email or website really belongs to Airbnb.
Be wary of offers that are too good to be true
Be wary of offers that combine excessively low prices with very attractive images or accommodations. If an owner wants to make too many changes during the booking process (offers you to pay differently, sends you contact addresses that do not match the ad, offers you a different ad that was not on the page, etc.) there could be a criminal behind it who wants to avoid being located. To avoid this, look for ads that have many positive reviews and read them carefully. This will allow you to detect if there is any negative aspect that several guests point out and that could tarnish your vacation. You can also check that the identity of the host and other account information have been verified or confirmed.
Communication and payment, always on the platform
If you are asked to make a deposit or a bank transfer, if you are given an invoice in PDF or on paper or you are offered a discount for paying outside the platform, be wary. Pay special attention if that person proposes to use companies that normally send money, bank checks, money orders for payment. If they suggest payment methods outside the platform, it is most likely that they intend to commit some type of fraud. Therefore, it is necessary that you make payments and communicate always through the Airbnb website or application. The National Police explain that as long as you communicate, book and pay through Airbnb, you will have the security guaranteed by the multiple protection system. If the host does not ask you at any time to talk through other means or send you emails, it is a good sign. You can also help other travelers by reporting suspicious messages.
Suspect an urgent tone or inconsistencies on the part of the host
Scammers often try to rush or pressure guests to book, show inconsistencies in the language in which they express themselves and in their nationalities, areas of residence or telephone prefixes, as well as in the text of the accommodation ad. Do not feel pressured, before deciding on an accommodation, carefully read the host's profile, the comments of previous guests and, for example, use the image comparator available from the main Internet search engines, and check if the images correspond to different rentals located in different geographical areas.
The National Police reminds that if we believe that we have been victims of a scam, we should not hesitate to report the facts to the Police so that they can investigate the facts, as well as report the ads and owners to the platform so that they can take the necessary actions. In these cases, it is important to collect and document all the evidence or proof that you have about the scam and the advertiser.
In addition, Airbnb points out that "they have sophisticated technology and behavioral analysis techniques to help prevent bad actors from using the platform, also educating hosts and guests about the protection of their personal data and their online security." They add from the platform that the most important thing that users should know is that "as long as they remain on the airbnb.es platform and pay through it, they will be protected". It also has a series of resources to help guests avoid possible scams, such as the importance of communicating and paying only through the platform or what to do in the event of a scam attempt, as well as information on the payment system.
Taking into account that many of our elderly and young people are starting to use these platforms to organize their vacations, sometimes for the first time, it can be very positive to promote these tips and recommendations to the people around us in those age groups, also reminding them of the importance of reporting to the National Police any possible scam attempt, as well as reporting it to the platform when possible irregular conduct aimed at fraud is observed.
