vacation Scam
Airbnb Host Identity Theft
Fraudsters scrape Superhost photos, relist them, and collect payments before guests arrive. WebVetted looks at property history, host verification, and calendar anomalies to confirm whether a profile is hijacked.
Red flags
- Host joined recently but somehow holds hundreds of reviews.
- Property photos show weather or decor inconsistent with the stated location.
- Messaging pushes you off Airbnb to finalize via wire or crypto.
How to Respond
- Run the listing through the Vacation Checker to compare photos, reviews, and host history.
- Ask the host for a quick video walk-through or selfie outside the property to confirm custody.
- If you suspect a clone, report it to Airbnb Trust and provide the WebVetted report.
📌 Case study
We flagged a “Paris loft” profile that copied photos from a 2019 design blog; travelers arrived to find residents who had never heard of Airbnb. Another case re-used a Bali villa listing but replaced the payout account with a stolen identity.
Related tools
vacation Scam
Airbnb Off-Platform Payment Request
Scammers lure guests to WhatsApp or email, then ask for bank transfers or gift cards under the guise of “security deposits.” WebVetted documents the host history and payment instructions so you can prove the violation.
Red flags
- Host offers a discount if you pay via wire or crypto outside Airbnb.
- Reservation disappears from your upcoming trips once you accept the request.
- Host claims Airbnb customer service told them to collect funds directly.
How to Respond
- Capture the messages and analyze the host with the Vacation Checker.
- Keep all payments inside Airbnb and refuse to share card data elsewhere.
- Forward the transcript to Airbnb Support and your card issuer if money left the platform.
📌 Case study
We investigated hosts who copied legitimate listings, then sent Google Docs invoices for wire payments. Another family lost $3k after paying a “damage deposit” via PayPal Friends and never received check-in details.
Related tools
vacation Scam
VRBO Phishing Rental Contract
Phishers send fake VRBO contracts and request IDs or deposits via third-party processors. WebVetted inspects sender domains, document metadata, and payout details to reveal the phish.
Red flags
- Contract arrives from Gmail instead of a VRBO-branded sender.
- DocuSign requests passport copies before the booking is confirmed.
- Payment links point to Stripe or Square pages unrelated to the property owner.
How to Respond
- Upload the documents to the Vacation Checker to review host history and contact info.
- Confirm with VRBO’s messaging system before signing or paying anything.
- If documents feel off, forward them to VRBO Trust and your bank’s fraud unit.
📌 Case study
A ring emailed “VRBO contract updates” that routed payments to a personal Cash App before deleting the listing. Another scamster pasted host names into generic PDFs and insisted on a 50 percent deposit through Wise.
Related tools
Need evidence for a bank or police report?
Generate a full entity dossier plus user-submitted reviews and then share the PDF with law enforcement or platform trust teams.