A site created at the beginning of July accused of spreading fake holiday rental ads on a shoestring budget has just been blocked by the fight against fraud in the Alpes-Maritimes, France Inter revealed on Friday, September 6. The site is now inaccessible as we have seen.
Several tourists appear to have been fooled by the attractive prices of these adverts, which copy images, texts and logos from advertising agencies already on the Internet. Several complaints have been filed for fraud and identity theft in Nice, Caen, Louviers and Tarn.
A game of 7 differences is required
According to Radiofrance, when a payment is made through the site, the transfer is made to an account located in Spain. Several other signs could also alert you, such as availability ranges of completely free rental properties.
But it is above all the low prices that should set off alarm bells. In August, BFM Business found a terraced house in the heart of the 16th arrondissement of Paris for 102 euros per night, a “charming apartment with a view of the Eiffel Tower” for 56 euros or even an accommodation in Corsica “les Hauts de Cavanello” for 94 euros. . per night. All of these listings can be found on Airbnb at significantly higher prices.
The signs that cannot deceive
Of course, the game of 7 differences is sometimes not so simple. Here are some tips to avoid falling into the trap:
- Compare prices with similar property listings
- Detect spelling errors in the advertisement or in conversations with the owner.
- Do not accept cash or money orders such as Western Union, MoneyGram, Transcash, etc.
- If possible, request that a copy of the owner’s property tax return be sent to the property owner.
More specific advice is available on the cybermalveillance.gouv website, as well as the procedures and remedies to follow if you are the victim of a fraudulent site.
Source: BFM TV
