Looking for a vacation rental or thinking about renting a new place? Imagine showing up to your dream vacation or new home only to find out that you've been double booked - or that the place doesn't actually exist.
Scammers can take over a real rental or real estate listing by changing the email address or other contact information, then listing it on another site.
What to look out for:
Being pressured to urgently send a security deposit or make a payment to hold the property before you even see it or sign a lease.
Being asked to wire money instead of sending a check. Once the money is gone, there's almost no way to get it back.
Pay attention and do your research on the owner(s) and listing: is it vague? Do the photos have watermarks? Does the rent amount sound too low? Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.