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Apartment rental scam

I recently booked a one week apartment thru VRBO.com. I wired the money and withing hours vrbo emailed me saying they were taking the apartment off their website and to be cautious. I made numerous attempts to find out what happened. The apartment owner or so I thought is not returning my emails. We have made other hotel arrangements. It is extremely annoying that VRBO.com is doing absolutely nothing to help me. Have any of you had a similiar experience?

Posted by
683 posts

We have never had a problem of any sort with VRBO, despite having used them over the course of 3 yrs and about 20 times. Your problem is with the owner, not VRBO.

Posted by
23242 posts

I doubt if you booked anything through VRBO. You booked with an individual owner who listed his property through VRBO. VRBO is just a big classifed pages that accepts ads. I don't think there is much they can do to help you. Obviously they saw some problems and did what they could. What exactly do you want them to do?

Posted by
808 posts

I would be very upset too if I wired money to someone and they were not returning emails. Was a money wire your only option? If it was, that might have been for a reason. And not a good one! It does sound like you have been scammed! I really hope it all works out for you, Jan!

Keep us posted!

Posted by
10 posts

Thank you! I had to send the money Western Union. I
was leary but it was less than one month away and they usually reguire full payment before then. This guy was a pro. I contacted references and everything.

Posted by
956 posts

So did you get your money back? Is that a possibility?

Posted by
808 posts

I wouldn't be a bit suprised if she never sees her money again. Poor, Jan! I could see someone like my Parents being scammed like that. They cut up all their credit cards years ago to happily celebrate "debt freedom". My Dad even brags about NOT using credit cards! He doesn't realize that when you don't have a credit card in today's world, people assume that you can't get one! It's so inconvenient to travel without one!

So I could imagine someone like my Parents sending a money transfer and getting scammed! I look out for them best I can but you can only "Parent your Parents" so much before they start to resent it!

Good Luck, Jan!