I wrote a blog a month or two ago about a couple who was under the impression they were booking the www.lionsview.co.za penthouse apartment with an agent for a low budget rate and when they arrived in Camps Bay, they were terribly disappointed and as it was peak season – accommodation in Cape Town was very limited.

On Tuesday, I heard on the radio of a family of 12 who found out that they had been scammed when they were two hours out of Cape Town, driving all the way down from Gauteng. They were under the impression that they had booked a large six bedroom villa in Camps Bay but when they tried to call the “agent” they were unable to get hold of him and they had already paid in full.

Here are tips on how to book a villa or apartment in Camps Bay without being scammed:

• Always read the reviews of previous guests on www.tripadvisor.com  Websites like https://www.airbnb.com  request reviews from the property owner as well as the guest after their stay.  Best to book with properties with reviews.
• If you are looking at a listing on a “Rental Listing Site” have a look how long the owner has had the listing for.
• Pay by credit card. Most credit card holders have insurance against scams to the value of R2000 and more, or the credit card transaction can be reversed by your bank.
• If you are still unsure, Google the property and call the owner directly.
• Be careful of accommodation posted on Facebook. Anyone can open a Facebook account. We have also had many scams from Facebook market place and Holiday Accommodation Facebook sites.
• Request to view the property – even if you are unable to. Scammers will always have excuses why you are not able to view.
• Check availability and rates online.  Only book properties who have online availability.

These scams are not limited to Camps Bay, there was an article in the UK Times in July last year about many holiday makers being scammed after booking with a certain holiday rental website.

Trust your judgments and remember if something sounds too good to be true – it usually is.

 

Previously in the news about scamming.