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Be careful: scammers give away illusions instead of holiday homes!
In the summer of 2025, authorities in Rhineland-Palatinate will warn of fraud in holiday home bookings. How to protect yourself from fake offers.
Be careful: scammers give away illusions instead of holiday homes!
With the start of daylight saving time and upcoming vacation planning, travelers should be more careful. Fraudsters are increasingly luring people with tempting online offers for holiday accommodation that often do not exist. As the Rhineland-Palatinate Police reports, bookings and advance payments often result in major losses: travelers are faced with empty promises, no contact person and no possibility of reimbursement.
A typical feature of fraudulent offers is the noticeably low rental prices, which appear unrealistic compared to other accommodations in the region. The imprints of these offers are often incomplete or fake, which does not suggest a legitimate business activity. In addition, advance payment via bank transfer or cash transfer services is usually urged, which makes traceability considerably more difficult.
Precautions for travelers
When browsing for holiday accommodation, travelers should pay attention to a few important points. The WDR emphasizes that complete contact details and a reputable legal notice are essential. In addition, a credit card or direct debit should be used when paying to ensure chargeback options in the event of fraud. Checking images through a reverse internet search can also reveal whether they have already been used in other contexts.
In case of suspicion, it is advisable to inform the platform operator immediately and to use the options to report to local police stations or via online watchdogs. All relevant communication histories and proof of payment should be retained for documentation.
More booking scams
In addition to fraudulent vacation rental offers, there are other scams travelers can fall victim to. Booking app users report fake messages asking them to verify their credit card. These messages appear to come authentically from the booked hotel, while the fraudsters hack into the booking system and intercept sensitive data. Booking.com also warns about such fraud attempts on its homepage.
Iwona Husemann from the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center advises reporting fraud directly at the holiday destination if you suspect fraud. Before booking, you should carefully check the duration of the offer and the number of previous bookings as well as real testimonials.
- Dauer des Angebots
- Anzahl der Buchungen
- Echte Erfahrungsberichte suchen
- Angebote in Navigationsapps oder Google Maps überprüfen
The risks in the area of online travel are varied. It is essential to be vigilant and aware of possible scams so as not to have your vacation spoiled by unpleasant surprises.