No villa. And the money is gone too: a man from Flachgau is being scammed on a well-known booking platform. The Federal Criminal Police and Consumer Protection are warning and giving tips on what to do.
The case of a 59-year-old from Salzburg caused a stir. The Flachgau resident wanted to book a villa in France for his family and, after contacting the landlord by e-mail, transferred 12,000 euros. Then there was a break in the broadcast. The money was gone. The villa could no longer be found. The alleged landlord has gone into hiding. This is reported by the ‘Krone’.
Major booking platforms affected
The scam is known and falls under rental fraud. Even on large booking platforms you are not protected against this. Airbnb, HomeAway, Booking and Yahoo also offer private accommodations.
Precautions against fraud
According to the Federal Criminal Police (BKA), such advance payment fraud is responsible for the majority of fraud crimes. The BKA advises: be alert, contact the provider personally, insist on a contract and be particularly careful with transfers abroad.
Irene Stauffer from the Salzburg police is not allowed to reveal on which platform the Flachgauer fell victim to the fraud. She says: “For reasons of data protection, we cannot give details, because the company cannot do anything about it. I can only say: it is one of the large, well-known providers.”
The Consumer Protection Department of the Chamber of Labor agrees. Eva Klampferer says: “We recommend reporting to the police, reporting to the platform, starting a cashback procedure with the bank and generally being careful with private accommodation – there are no consumer protection rules there and therefore little recourse in the event of problems.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
