How to Avoid Vacation Rental Scams on Craigslist & Other Classifieds
Are you looking for a cheap summer vacation rental? Whether you want to rent a private home, a condo, or an apartment, you can usually find it on Craigslist.org or another classified site online. Unfortunately, you will also find vacation rental scams. These scams are all over the internet, not just on Craigslist. How can you protect yourself from becoming a vacation rental scam victim?
Use your best judgment. You may be surprised far common sense goes when it comes to spotting a scam. Avoid vacation rental deals that seem too good to be true. Are all other Las Vegas rentals at least $500 a night? If so, why is only one $100 a night? It might be the sign of a scam. Many of us make the mistake of believing that frauds aim high. With a lower "fake," price, more travelers fall victim to their vacation rental scam. In the end, it means more money for the frauds.
Use an online map to bring up the vacation rental address because you should have this address. Many online maps let you see a satellite view; try to look at the building in question. Take the address of the vacation rental and look it up on the map. Make sure a similar building is there. Is there a vacant lot or a trailer park instead of condos? Many times, scammers steal pictures from real vacation rental owners online. They then use those pictures and typically make up an address. That is why you should always check the address on an interactive map with a satellite view first.
It is also recommend that you search in the location of poplar vacation destinations. Lets say you are looking for a cheap vacation rental near Disney. There is rare chance that someone local has reservations that they can’t use, but this is rare. You can find the best by searching in or around the destination area. Luckily, the Property Finder Pro lets you perform nationwide searches. Don't miss out on a good deal just because you were looking in the wrong place.
Now that you know what to look for so that you can avoid vacation rental scams, it is time to get searching. As a reminder, the Property Finder lets you search all over the internet for vacation rentals and more. Click the link above to start your free Property Finder trial.