Imagine if your spring break vacation went like this:  you and a group of your closest friends arrive in Miami.  Bags in tow, you hop in a cab, and direct the driver to go to the address that is listed on the lease agreement for the luxurious condo you have rented for the week.  The cab driver takes you to the street where the address should be located, but the address doesn’t exist.   

Frantic, you and your friends walk up and down the street dragging your luggage, trying to locate the address on your lease agreement.  Finally, you spot a condo that looks exactly like the listing you responded to.  Figuring that there must have been a typo on the lease agreement, you and your friends ring the doorbell expecting the landlord to greet you and hand you the keys so your vacation can finally begin. 

Instead, a man tells you that he is the owner of the home and that the space is not used for renting.  Stunned, all of you stand out in the baking Miami sun and try to quickly figure out a Plan B.  Can you imagine starting off your spring break this way?  Well, this is exactly the story that six of my friends had to tell when they came home from Florida.   

Rental fraud of condos and time-shares are common scams.  Rental fraud is the renting of a space that the scam artist doesn’t own.  The grifter finds a way to enter the space, take pictures, and advertise the space for rent.  The person who answers the ad becomes the mark.  The mark will then pay the rental cost and security deposit.  The con artist pockets the money and the mark loses his/her rent and security deposit.  The perpetrator will use different avenues to advertise the fake property for rent.  In the case of my friends, the advertisement was listed on Craig’s List.  However, Craig’s List, newspaper classifieds, and other online publications that contain listings or advertisements are not financially liable for fraud stemming from a posted ad in their publication. 

So what should you do if you fall victim to rental fraud, contact the police department or district attorney.  Provide a written statement explaining the events that occurred.  The statement should include: 

• A brief overview of the events that took place.
• The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the people and companies involved.
• Copies of all documents you signed or that you received, including any deeds or contracts.
• Copies of canceled checks or money orders (both front and back) that you gave in payment.
• Supply all of your contact information, including name, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers. 

The victims in this story thought they had done everything properly, but there were certain steps that they could’ve taken to protect themselves.  You can help avoid being a victim yourself just by following a few steps: 

• Remember the old saying, “If something sounds to good to be true, it probably is.” 
• Don’t let a landlord pressure you.  If you are being pushed or oversold in a business arrangement, don’t continue.
• Try to make travel purchases from agencies and promoters that you know are legitimate.  Whenever possible check with the Better Business Bureau.
• Get all the details before you agree and make a purchase.
• Make sure you get all the terms and conditions of your stay in writing.
• Be leery when being pressured to send payment via courier service or overnight mail.  A con artist wants to receive their money as soon as possible and while trying to avoid any federal mail fraud charges may ask you to use a courier.
• Always try to pay with credit card.  If you do become a victim of rental fraud, there is virtually no chance of you receiving your money back if you use a check, money order, wire transfer, or cash. It is also important to note that you may not receive your money back if you pay by credit card; however paying with a credit card does increase the odds that you may recover your lost funds.

Summer vacation is just on the horizon.  Con artists will be waiting to take unsuspecting victims money and dreams of summer fun.  It is important to be aware of how to protect yourself when making lodging arrangements from travel services other than Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, or travel agencies, so you won't have a a summer vacation horror story to tell your friends when returning back to campus next year.