The apartment is centrally located and costs less: what looks like a great offer could be an attempt at fraud. The police in Europe are currently warning of cyber websites that are reminiscent of fake websites Airbnb. Police is giving advice on exposing the fake websites Airbnb.
A woman had advertised an apartment search via eBay classifieds and received an apparently tempting offer by email. She was asked to register on a fake page that was modeled on the Airbnb housing platform. After registering there, she was asked to transfer a rent deposit. She took a closer look, sensed fraud and informed the police.
Check Address Line And Pictures
The experts advise: When redirecting to a page, always check the address line in the browser to determine whether it is the correct web address. This is not always immediately recognizable, especially with mobile devices. If you have already logged in with your correct access data on the fake page, it is best to contact the real Airbnb support immediately and change the access data. Positive reviews from supposedly satisfied customers are another trick to fake the authenticity of the website. In this case, a Google images reverse search revealed that these were fake profiles. Photos of the apartment offered could also be found on other websites.Affected people should contact the real Airbnb support and change the access data.
Beware Of Supposedly Cheap Housing Offers
The police have one basic piece of advice: never transfer money to unknown people in advance. If you fall for the scam, you can still try to inform the bank and stop the transfer. It could be too late after just a few hours.
