The Ocean City Police Department is reminding citizens to be cautious while using the
internet to search for vacation rentals in Ocean City. While popular websites can be a valuable tool in finding reasonable vacation rentals, consumers need to beware of
scammers who are posing as property owners.
Some of the most consistent “red flags” associated with rental scams are demonstrated
through poor grammar, spelling errors, poor capitalization and punctuation on any on-line material. In addition, if a vacation rental owner does not accept credit cards as a form of payment, they should almost always accept a personal check. Most scammers will only take cashiers checks or ask money to be wired to a specific account. Lastly, you should be cautious of a property owner who is hesitant or unwilling to provide additional information in regards to the rental property, such as amenities or photographs.
As a renter you should take additional steps to assure the owner and rentals are
legitimate. There are several tips you should remember to avoid being a victim of an
online rental scam. First, do not wire money to a suspected landlord and remember,
regardless how convincing the tale, make sure the person renting the house to you
actually owns it. Also, verify where you will go and who you will see to pick up the rental key. Make sure that the person and location is valid. Finally, if you have any suspicious concerns, follow your instinct. Even if you have to pay a fee, you are often safer dealing with a licensed real estate agent.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
1 comment:
Homeaway.com and VRBO.com are both good sites for vacation rentals. Your article is very accurate. People should be very cautious of anyone advertising a property that won't accept a credit card or personal check. Beware of listings on Craig's list. ANother good safeguard is to look for properties where the owner is a Chamber of Commerce member and cal the local Chamber to confirm. There are some really fabulous properties that are legitimately rented by owners and they can be quite a bargain. Customr reveiws posted on reputable sites can also be a strong indicctor of a quality property.
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