Short-term rental platform AirBNB is in hot water right now following reports of an elderly couple who were scammed of thousands by a fake listing.
Not First Victim Of Fake AirBNB Listing
A British couple reportedly lost thousands to a fake AirBNB listing. The couple spent nearly $12,000 on the supposed AirBNB rental only to find out that the room they booked did not exist.
Ian and Denise Fetlham booked for a room, which was described in the listing as a VIP penthouse in Ibiza, Spain. Worse, they are not the first victim of the scam.
They were expecting a room with a hot tub, super-king bed, and a private elevator. The listing also indicates there will be no problem with pets so the couple decided to travel with their two Yorkshire terriers.
Unfortunately, when the couple and their pets Ross and Honey arrived at the Las Boas complex, they found out that there was no VIP penthouse at the location.
Ian Feltham said many have apparently fallen victim to the scam. He said that a gentleman in the building told them they get tourists turning up there all the time.
4 out of 5 Stars
It is easy to see why many have been duped by the listing. The property has multiple positive reviews on AirBNB and has an average score of 4 out of 5 stars. The couple also said they initially had good communication with the supposed host of the property.
Three weeks before the trip, however, the couple stopped receiving messages from the host. This raised red flags, but AirBNB would not give them a refund for their payment unless they are not able to get in when they arrive on site.
The Felthams decided to get another hotel after realizing their booking does not exist. The closest pet-friendly hotel they found was 40 minutes away and cost them an additional $245 per night.
