Online con artists know how to take a legitimate ad from a real estate or Craigslist advertisement, attract attention by posting a bargain basement price, include a fake email address for inquiries, and then collect money from prospective renters, usually by wire transfer. The Santa Cruz District Attorney’s Consumer Affairs office is warning residents to take precautions when booking vacations this summer.
There are many examples of vacationers from other areas that have come to Santa Cruz after seeing a Vacation Home for Rent listing on Craigslist, only to arrive and discover that there is a homeowner or a tenant already living in the unit and the actual owner has not advertised it as a vacation rental.
Recently, a couple with a young family decided to take a long three day weekend in Santa Cruz after seeing a listing for an oceanfront West Cliff Drive home for rent at the bargain rate of $650 for three nights. The couple liked the photographs of the large house, and liked that it was close to the Boardwalk. The couple, from Corte Madera, followed the emailed instructions by the “agent” who instructed them to wire transfer the funds to a bank account, which they did. The agent then told them to meet her at the property address at 3:00pm on a Friday. When the family arrived at the home, the door was answered by a long term tenant who advised them that this happens frequently, and that someone had defrauded them with a phony Craigslist advertisement. The couple reported the scam, but was not able to recover the $650, and had to pay again for lodging elsewhere.
Take precautions when looking for a vacation rental home or condo:
- Use a reputable travel agency, property management company, or online services that provide secure payments.
- Verify that the person offering the rental is the actual owner and that the address is valid.
- Never wire transfer money or purchase pre-paid cash cards to pay for a rental. Pay with a credit card for extra security.
- Be wary when a “property owner” claims that he is traveling abroad and wants to do business through email or texts.