Fraudsters take advantage of travelers using convenient online browsing of rentals on sites like VRBO, Airbnb, or shared on social media by creating convincing listings that either do not exist or are not truly available for rent. They pretend to be the “host”, collect booking payments, and then disappear.
- Is the listing “too good to be true” or the price drastically lower than other rentals in the area?
- Are there limited photos, details, and reviews?
- Is the contact information different between the listing and the booking?
- Are you being pushed to book or pay outside of the rental platform, possibly “for a discount” or “to avoid fees”?
If so, BE SUSPICIOUS and look for a different option that is legitimate.
Tips to Avoid Rental Fraud Scams:
- Search the listing address to confirm it is a rental property and matches the picture or description on the app
- Book & pay through the platform, not directly with a host or in a separate app
- Confirm details with the host before the trip to help uncover potential bait-and switch schemes ahead of time
The excitement or stress of travel can leave our guards down to fraud schemes. To fully enjoy your vacation, keep in mind these additional travel security tips:
- Notify your bank of your upcoming travel to avoid hiccups with purchases while you’re away
- Enroll in M&T on-line banking and keep your contact information updated to be able to regularly check accounts for fraud, get immediately notified of suspicious card activity and quickly validate transactions from your mobile device.
- Use payment methods with more fraud security (i.e. TAP to pay with card instead of swiping or inserting, etc.)
- Keep sensitive documents containing personal info (IDs, passports, checks, etc.) secure while traveling
- Do not post travel plans/pictures/videos on social media as they can be easily leveraged by cybercriminals
- Explore travel insurance options that would reimburse if a fraud event occurs
- Steer clear of public Wi-Fi (like hotels, coffee shops, etc.), especially for banking or other financial online activities
Stay safe and enjoy your adventure.
For more information, go to www.mtb.com/scams.