How To Identify A Fraudulent Booking
An important consideration for any Holiday Home Owner – or Guest for that matter is the careful watch for fraudulent bookings or booking sites. Thankfully these are infrequent but the mainstream press can be quick to report any malpractice in the industry and we recommend Owners are aware of concerns their potential guests may read about. These may after all prevent them from booking your property!
Confirm all bookings
No matter how or from where your booking is received, it is always a good idea to immediately follow up with the prospective guest. If you’ve recently accepted a booking, follow-up with that individual or individuals, to confirm the legitimacy of the request. This measure will also demonstrate your willingness as a Holiday Home Owner to personally confirm the booking. This will also go a long way towards demonstrating your willingness to deliver fantastic service and a great stay for your guest.
The same applies if you are the individual who has recently booked a Holiday Home. In which case don’t waste any time in personally reaching out to the home or vacation rental owner, not only to affirm the booking itself, but to confirm that your purchase has, in fact, been approved. As A Holiday Home Owner be mindful that your guest may have such concerns and aim to respond quickly and fully to allay any doubts they may have.
Accepting Payments From Third Parties
A popular contemporary scam facing Owners is the presentation of another individual’s payment or identification information. Take note of any guests who use a third party’s credit card information. It could be possible a stolen identity has been used to secure a booking or deposit.
While there’s nothing inherently wrong in offering a third party’s payment method, Owners should confirm personally with the Third Party as to the legitimacy of the booking.
Remain aware
Awareness is key. In personally reaching out to the other party in a booking, and in opting for credit card purchases with additional security measures in place, guests and owners alike stand only to gain from a healthy, growing holiday rental market. However, this growth is contingent upon constant observation and dedication with regard to simple awareness techniques.
The general rule of thumb with regard to potential fraudulent bookings remains a simple one: if a transaction appears to be fraudulent, it likely is. Take red flags seriously during the transaction process, and even after a transaction has been completed. Owners retain the power to deny any potential booking, just as a guest has the power to cancel if a location itself is suspect. If a fraudulent booking does occur, or if you come across any suspicious activity, don’t hesitate to bring the matter to the correct authority.
