Holidays in danger: Fraudsters lure people with fake holiday apartments!

Holidays in danger: Fraudsters lure people with fake holiday apartments!

In the picturesque setting of Grainau, where the mountains invite you to linger, a family with two children had an unpleasant experience. They booked a holiday apartment through booking.com for a whopping 1,500 euros, but when they arrived it turned out that the accommodation never existed. This is not an isolated case, according to a local resident who also knew of five other holidaymakers who fell victim to fraudsters in the same week. These incidents have already led to a total of 25 cases of fraud at the same address this year, as another example shows: nine guests found themselves in front of a locked door after booking via tripadvisor.de for 1,650 euros.

The affected family filed a complaint with the police in Garmisch-Partenkirchen four weeks ago. There is unrest here because it is clear that the fraudsters are becoming more and more bold. Consumer advice centers urgently warn against these fraudulent activities, which are particularly common in popular holiday regions such as Paris and Mallorca. Julia Zeller from the Bavarian Consumer Center emphasizes the need to be skeptical and check realistic prices in order not to fall into the trap.

How to protect yourself

The good news: There are ways to protect yourself from such scams. An important procedure is to first search for the accommodation using Google Maps. This will help verify the existence of the alleged apartment. It is also advisable to take a closer look at the reviews, as fake reviews often indicate dubious offers. In addition, communication and payment should never take place outside of the booking platform. Victims of fraud are asked to report their experiences and inform the local tourist information office so that they can keep a close eye on the offers.

In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the authorities have already taken measures to identify and report suspicious advertisements. However, as Booking.com itself admits, it remains a challenge to successfully block the majority of suspicious activity. This shows that everyone obviously needs to be on their guard.

More tips to avoid fraud while on vacation

The Lower Saxony Consumer Center has additional advice on how travelers can protect themselves against fraud. Holidaymakers are often easy targets because they travel in a relaxed manner and are not always familiar with the local conditions. Here are some useful tips:

• Unerwartete Geschenke oder vermeintliche Gratis-Angebote sollten besser abgelehnt werden.
• Bei Taxis nur offizielle Anbieter mit Taxameter nutzen.
• Bargeldwechsel am besten nur bei Banken oder offiziellen Wechselstuben durchführen.
• Tickets für Veranstaltungen und Ausflüge nur bei seriösen Anbietern kaufen.

In general: Distrust is appropriate, especially if an offer seems too good to be true. You should always carry your valuables close to your body and avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Taking a look at the well-known scams can also help you avoid falling on your face while on vacation.