They damage Denia’s reputation as a tourist resort, show minimal scruples, and destroy entire families’ holidays. The National Police have issued a warning about a series of vacation rental scams that have been taking place in the Marina Alta region’s capital in recent weeks, coinciding with the peak of the summer season.
In this regard, the National Police have stated that the Denia Police Station is looking into complaints filed by people who claim to have been duped when renting an apartment or tourist property. They have also described the methodology behind these acts, which had previously occurred in prior summers but are now becoming a troubling trend because the suspected culprits have discovered new ways to conduct these crimes.
According to the authorities, victims contact the marketer of a vacation rental, with the scammer providing detailed information about the apartment or villa and demanding payment in advance or an advance on the rental cost. When the victim arrives at the property to spend their holiday, they discover that it does not exist: it has already been rented to others or was never meant for that purpose, and it does not even belong to the person who advertised it.
Last June, a family who had been duped out of 12,000 euros while renting a vacation home in Les Rotes.
What To Do To Avoid Being Scammed
The National Police suggests the following precautions to prevent falling prey to this type of fraud, which is also operating in other towns in Alicante’s tourism regions like as Benidorm and Elx.
- Be wary of listings where the rental price is very low or considerably lower than the average rental price in the area.
- Confirm or find out as much as possible whether the property is owned by the person who wants to rent it to us.
- Do not make any payments without having visited the property in person or having signed a formal rental agreement.
- Use reputable portals or platforms that can ensure that the ad is not fraudulent.
Author: Derek Appleton
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