Holiday rental platforms such as Search and Stay have become the go-to way to travel for many seeking more space along with the many comforts of home that a hotel room simply can't provide. With more and more people taking this route, there are some helpful tips that users can follow to avoid getting scammed.
Rental property sites such as Search and Stay have grown in popularity over recent years, with many people opting to book via these sites when planning their holidays. However, with growing popularity comes growing risks, therefore, being prepared to spot any potential scams or fraudulent behaviour can be crucial in keeping your personal information safe.
Many of these sites have internal protocols to ensure the safety of their users, therefore it's vital that you keep all transactions within the system of the site, to reduce the likelihood of being scammed.
Nonetheless, here are some things to look out for the next time you're looking to book.
External Communication
Be wary of hosts who push for external communication as this can be a sign of a scam. Personal emails and phone numbers take users away from the secure, tracked method of Search and Stay or other holiday rental booking sites. Hosts or owners requesting that guests pay via an alternative method other than through the site should always be avoided. If a host is encouraging you to take communication or payment outside the site, this can be a sign of fraudulent behaviour.
Email Links
Guests booking holiday rentals should also look out for fake links that may request personal data with the promise of receiving the best deals or first dibs on a new booking. The experts advise guests to avoid clicking these links and to always check the URL in the event that they do.
It's essential that you always be careful with where you share your personal information, if you have received a request from Search and Stay via email, it is often safer to access the site separately from any links in the email and to log-in directly to the site via a guest portal this will ensure you're not taken to a fraudulent or look a like site that plans on phishing your data.
Continue to handle all correspondence and most importantly payment through Search and Stay and you will have secure evidence and receipts of any communication or transactions made between yourself and the owner or host.
To Good To Be True
If something sounds too good to be true, then it often is. This applies to many things and the same goes for holiday rental listings. One tip if you're suspicious, is to do a reverse image search of the photos used in the listing and seek out reviews and other evidence that the property is real and legitimate. This is simply done by right-clicking on the image and selecting the option "search for image with google lens" to start this process.
Profile
Take a close look at your potential host's profile before booking as holiday rental sites have begun verifying both hosts and guests. The experts point out that the number of listings on one profile can be an indicator, unless they are a holiday rental company or vacation real estate, it’s unlikely that an individual host will have a large number of properties for rent.
Reviews
Always read the reviews when considering renting a holiday property. Read up on the property as well as the host and be sure to avoid those with no reviews as that can be a red flag. If that's simply because the listing is brand new, read reviews for the host and go from there using your best judgment. Reviews are extremely important on these sites as they validify the legitimacy of hosts and listings, so if you are unsure about a property you are thinking of renting, be sure to check the reviews before booking.
