Spanish Police warn of summer holiday rental scams after receiving thousands of complaints

Spanish Police are warning the public of summer holiday rental scams after receiving thousands of complaints.

The police have issued serious warnings to members of the public to be aware of fake holiday lets being offered online during the summer.

Scams around vacation rentals operate throughout the year but increase exponentially in the summer. To avoid being deceived, the most effective thing is to exercise caution and know how they operate.

Fraudulent companies disguise themselves in trusted portals and when trying to access them they redirect the user to their own website . At that moment the deception begins, the scammers even messaging through WhatsApp, all to finally make a transfer to reserve the house or apartment. It all looks legal, but at its core it is a scam.

These types of hidden identities operate throughout the year, but it is now that they do their particular August.

To avoid scams, the Police insist that it is essential to exercise caution and not lower your guard. It is vital to never leave the platform, clearly identify that the product offered is real and always be wary of bargains that offer practically impossible prices.

One lady (name changed), tells of how she fell for the scam.

‘Laura’ thought she had located the perfect house, with a private pool and five bedrooms. “It was an English agency, they answered me directly on WhatsApp and told me that they did not have the house, but they offered me another one; we paid 2,000 euros in advance , I believed it, I signed and then there was nothing,” she said.

As an example of how rife the situation is, police in the Valencian Community say that they do not stop receiving complaints. In fact, they have already received more than 300.

There, the scammers have pocketed more than 35,000 euros in the Dénia or Gandía area at the expense of many families. In addition, in Galicia, there have been scams operated involving holiday homes in the Costa da Morte area.

According to reports, police in Valencia have now arrested a 67-year-old man for allegedly scamming more than 300 people throughout the whole of Spain out of thousands of euros for that very crime.

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