Laura Duckett
POLICE are on high alert after a wave of Airbnb scams have targeted tourists travelling to Malaga.
The scammers lure tourists into traps with fake properties listed at competitive prices.
They then claim to be unable to show them the accommodation and ask for a deposit, something the website never asks for.
The transfer is made through email addresses featuring the company’s name and a ‘mule’ then withdraws the money before sending it to the creator of the scam, said to usually be from eastern Europe or Africa.
The police suggest that if any tourists see an ad they suspect is ‘too good to be true’, to search for the images on Google and see if any additional results come up.
There are many companies on line for Holiday Apartments and from experience if they don’t give you an e-mail or a telephone number look elsewhere.