There have been a number of reports regarding holiday accommodation scams on social media over the years.
Several people have arrived at their holiday accommodation only to find that the accommodation has already been let out or that establishment is a private house.
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In a recent case, a Manaba man’s property was advertised online by a fraudster.
“I became aware of it someone arrived at my home on October 26, asking whether my house was available to rent for the December holidays, and showed me an advertisement. He told me that he was a retired police officer living in Margate and was inquiring on behalf of somebody in Durban about this holiday home advertised for rent.
“I was so astonished that I did not question him too closely. I even refused to give my telephone number to him when he asked for it in order to forward the advertisement to me,” said the homeowner.
He added that he immediately went online and found the advertisement.
The homeowner was also contacted by two estate agents and a letting agent, all of whom said that people had phoned them wanting to book his house for the holiday.
“Even my security company called me to tell me the same story, and at least two people claimed that they already paid a deposit. I did not report this to the police but was able to contact the online agency and managed to cancel the advertisement,” he said.
Last December a Gauteng woman paid a deposit of R5 600 for her family over the Christmas period.
After she made the booking, the fraudster confirmed that the money had been received and that her holiday was secure.
A few weeks later the woman noticed the fraud warnings doing the rounds and made contact with the owner of the property.
The owner said they had never received any money and the booking was not secured.
In another incident a Durban woman, who sold her property on an online website, found images of her kitchen in an advert for a holiday home to rent on the South Coast.
Police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane urged holidaymakers to take extra precautions and be vigilant at all times when booking holiday accommodation.
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Be especially careful when booking online. Try and get references and take a look at reviews on Tripadvisor or Hello Peter.
If you are in doubt, contact Ugu South Coast Tourism at 039 6827745, approach the property owners directly, or use a reputable estate agent.
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