How to Avoid the New Fake Vacation Rental Scam

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How to Avoid the New Fake Vacation Rental Scam

Summer is right around the corner. It’s time to start planning for the all important summer vacay before the kids are out of school. But wait! Where will you and your family stay? A hotel can be cramped with stifling rules. The answer may be to rent a summer vacation home, which means more room and freedom. But it can also mean trouble.

Understanding your scenario all too well, Internet scammers have already posted their overly photoshopped images of possibly bogus vacation properties. The listing may seem too good to be true, yet in your excitement, you may put down a deposit before anyone else rents it. How do you know this is the property you will enjoy on vacation or if it’s available at all? Don’t get scammed this vacation season or any season. Get images from a photo inspection company you trust.

Don’t Be a Vacation Rental Victim

Scammers are quite savvy at tricking people online. The Internet is the first place most people will go to find their vacation listing. But, even seasoned real estate agents occasionally get conned online. The Internet is a great tool to quickly find what you want, but in this case, the Internet can also be your worst enemy. False and misleading listings are in abundance. These bogus listers are smart, waiting for you to drop that deposit. Then once they get your money, they disappear for good.

What can you do to protect yourself? Here are a few suggestions on how to avoid being the next victim in a fake vacation scam. Start with a list verification to confirm that the property is:

  1. Available during your timeframe
  2. The correct listing
  3. Truthful in its description
  4. Accurate in its amenities

This process starts with fast and reliable photo inspection. Don’t depend on someone else to tell you what the property has to offer. Get the answers yourself with photo verification by a trusted validation company.

Are We at The Right Place?

Unfortunately there are many families that have had their hopes crushed when they arrive at their vacation rental. It doesn’t look like the photos posted online by the lister in the least! Something you definitely don’t want to hear on vacation is, “Mommy, where’s the pool?”  As you wonder what happened, you know deep down you’ve been scammed.

One important way of avoiding this entire scenario is by using one of the photo inspection companies. With their services you receive your own photo verification from a trusted source. Only when you have accurate and reliable verification can you be sure of what to expect when you get to your vacation destination. A highly-trained, inspection professional using state-of-the-art imagery can confirm the listing for you.

The Vacation Rental of Your Dreams

Using a company to inspect real estate such as Agent Validate will confirm your vacation rental for summer or any season. Our nationwide network of photo inspection professionals can verify first-hand where you will be staying and its condition. When you can’t be there to personally inspect, Agent Validate will do it for you. Contact us to ask us how. Then relax and enjoy the vacation rental of your dreams.

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