Simple measures help to avoid losses and ensure that holidays are safe and peaceful
The popularization of vacation home rentals has brought practicality, variety and competitive prices. But, at the same speed, it has also attracted scammers who take advantage of the rush of travel, the urgency of bookings and the trust in digital platforms to carry out increasingly elaborate frauds.
Home rental fraud has become a growing challenge, especially because it is based on convincing strategies and subtle emotional triggers, capable of deceiving even experienced users, who often do not realize the risk until they make payment.
“Today, digital crime has become more sophisticated. Social engineering is mixed with false advertisements, cloned profiles and payments outside the platform’s protected environment. It is the perfect scam for those who are distracted”, warns lawyer Murilo Rebouças Aranha, specialist in Medical and Business Law at FAV Advogados.
He reinforces that scams often follow a pattern: advertisements copied from real properties, prices well below average, newly created profiles and insistence on payment via Pix — always outside the platform. “The criminal creates a sense of urgency. He makes the consumer believe that they are faced with a unique opportunity and that, if they don’t pay now, they will lose the property to ‘other interested parties'”, he warns.
Warning signs that travelers cannot ignore
Despite the cheats are more common, most of them can be identified with some basic care. Too professional photos, addresses that don’t match the description, profiles without reviews and exaggerated discounts are some of the signs. “If the price is well below the average for the region, the chance of it being a scam is much greater than that of it being a promotion”, highlights the lawyer.
Another critical point is the insistence on migrating the conversation to WhatsApp or making direct payment. “Scammers always try to take consumers off the official platform, because there are no security, refund or tracking mechanisms there,” explains Murilo Rebouças Aranha.
The lawyer reinforces that there is no need to be suspicious of everything to travel safely. But some simple habits make a difference:
- Use only recognized platforms;
- Keep all trading within the website;
- Request a video call to see the property in real time;
- Search photos on Google to check originality;
- Request documents from the owner or person responsible;
- Avoid 100% advance payments when this is not standard for the platform.
“It’s like checking the car before hitting the road”, compares lawyer Murilo Rebouças Aranha. “These are simple, quick measures that avoid large losses and huge headaches.”
Image: NT_Studio | ShutterstockContract: bureaucracy or protection?
The formalization of a contract still causes resistance among many consumers, but the lawyer is categorical: it is essential, even in short-term rentals. “The contract creates civil and criminal liability, establishes clear rules and facilitates any repair of damage”, he explains.
He recommends that the document indicate the complete data of the landlord and tenant, the property address, entry and exit dates, values, cancellation conditions, property registration and fines in case of non-compliance. “It’s not an absolute guarantee, but it’s the difference between having legal support or being completely helpless,” he says.
What to do in cases of fraud?
If the consumer realizes that he has fallen into a blow — discovering that the property does not exist, that the owner is fake or that the information does not match, the reaction needs to be immediate. Murilo Rebouças Aranha recommends keeping all evidence, registering a police report, notifying the platform and trying to block the payment with the bank or card.
“The faster you act, the greater the chances of reversing the payment or holding the scammer responsible. And, often, also the platform”, he highlights.
Platforms are also responsible for the damages
In certain scenarios, platforms may be held jointly and severally liable for losses. This is because, according to the Consumer Protection Code, when they act as active intermediaries, charging fees, validating advertisements or managing reservations, they are responsible for failures in the digital environment.
“The jurisprudence has been firm: if the scam happens within the platform, and if there were no minimum security mechanisms, it responds”, explains the lawyer.
In the end, the main warning is simple: haste is the perfect fuel for the coup. “Consumers need to slow down a little. Check information, compare prices, be suspicious when something deviates from the standard”, concludes Murilo Rebouças Aranha.
By Gabriela Andrade
