Tips And Tools To Avoiding Holiday Home And Vacation Rental Scams
It is a rare occurrence in the world of luxury villa rentals when a guest gets scammed. But it can and does happen occasionally. Here are tools and tips to avoid these scams and cheaters who offer fake homes, take deposits and run, or other tricks used by criminals who want to steal your money and time without giving you a villa holiday in return.
Finding The Home
Is the luxury villa owner advertising the home on only one site? Or, is the home on a number of vacation rental websites where owners will typically seek publicity and marketing to increase bookings? The more places the home is being marketed, the more likely it is a legitimate rental. The number of complaints about a fraudulent rental would soon get the home deleted from multiple sites, leaving the scammer with few options to find new victims.
First, is there a private website for the vacation rental? Most scammers are “on the go” and don’t want to go through the trouble of building a good one. Some may be more technologically sophisticated, however, so it’s a good idea to follow through on your other verification steps.
Check the ownership and age of the domain name. Whois.net can provide this data, however some totally honest owners have opted for private registrations of their domains, in which case you will need to use other methods to find out more.
Web tools such as “The Way Back Machine” can help show the history of any given URL. If you are able to see the history of the property website going back several years, and see that it has only undergone normal and legitimate changes (i.e. text and descriptions but the home for rent remains the same) it’s probably a safe bet.
Check the IP address (“internet protocol”) details within the emails sent directly from the owner. Look in the email’s “header” for IP Addresses that might indicate the physical location of the sender, i.e. the header may show that the email came from Nigeria but the home is in Orlando. There are many free IP Lookup tools on the internet. While not always an exact indication, if the header reveals a location not in line with where the owner states that he/she is living/contacting you from, exercise a bit of caution.
Look for comments about the home that might have been made on the internet, either in other ads, or by guests that stayed there. However, this is not foolproof. If a property is a “fake” the criminals will certainly change the name or other details of the “property” each time they run a scam, so this method is not the most reliable. Sometimes owners innocently enough title the home by different names for different advertising and marketing purposes.
If the home was found on a property listing site, look to see in the profile if there is information about the age of the ad. Any listing site worth its salt will have suspended an ad for a home that has received multiple complaints. Look for a long track record of successful rentals. But don’t alienate newcomers if you think their home may be your perfect vacation rental. Just make a few more checks to make sure you’re comfortable. And, bear in mind that if an owner is new to luxury vacation property renting, you may be in their learning curve with regard to contracts, deposit procedures, housekeeping, and the like. Be prepared to be patient, but if the property really intrigues you, give it a go.
Make an independent verification of the owner and the property. The first step might be to actually ask the owner to provide a reference from their local Chamber of Commerce, a licensing board, tourism bureau, or their attorney or accountant. If they aren’t willing and able to provide something concrete to make you more likely to book the home, reconsider the rental. Contact the organization or person given, but try to verify their contact info through outside means.
Use Google to research the property owners’ name, phone, rental address, and email address. If this address has any record of unhappy customers or truly criminal activity, most likely someone has mentioned it in a public forum (click on Blogs or Groups when doing a Google search; don’t rely solely on normal search). Make sure the property exists by using Google to verify the location in Satellite view (if available), or other mapping techniques.
Making Initial Contact
Your first interaction with a villa owner or agent may be through email, but why not call or request a return call from them? It could be under the excuse of getting to know a little more about the villa or to ask a question. Use your chat to confirm for yourself that you are comfortable with the owner or agent that you are working with to rent the vacation home. They should be more than willing to accommodate you.
When you call, does the vacation rental owner answer the phone, return calls, or do they only respond to emails? Make sure they are are willing to communicate by telephone and don’t rush or brush you off back to emails.
Ask for references and call the references. If someone is a criminal, they can certainly set up fake references for you to call, so do not rely on this as your only verification.
If something doesn’t feel right to you, back off. Property owners and agents should be polite about answering your questions so you will be comfortable and happy renting the home. If they are rude, seem put out by your questions, or not service-oriented, think twice before sending them a deposit check, and consider choosing another property.
Booking The Home
Always work with written booking contracts for your reservation. Before committing, read through all the terms and conditions of renting the home, including payment details, extra charges and cancellation policy. If you would like something altered or amended, don’t hesitate to ask, as the owner may be quite amenable in order to get the booking.
Avoid paying by anonymous/untraceable methods like Western Union or Moneygram or Money orders. Pay the owner or the villa rental agent directly by personal check, credit card, or other method requested.
Beware of someone who claims not to have received your first deposit, and asks for another one. Consider sending your deposit via a trackable method like Federal Express or UPS.
Only pay by trackable means so you could put a trace on the funds if there is a problem later on. Ideally book the home with a credit card as it can offer a good layer of protection. Credit card companies hate chargebacks. Scammers who have a lot of chargebacks won’t be accepting credit cards for long.
Paying
Scammers will always push to be paid by cashier’s checks or money wired. When you hear this, either drop out or take more action to find out if the owner and rental are on the up-and-up.
Please note, the term “money wired” here refers to payments via Western Union or Moneygram, etc. Bank-to-Bank wires are something different and may be acceptable, but it is up to you to feel secure first with the owner and also the reputation of the banking institutions involved.
Some vacation rental owners shun credit cards as a form of payment. Personal checks are their preferred method of payment. Once again, anyone asking for money to be wired may be a red flag that the property is no good.
Go the Extra Mile for Friends, Family, and Guests
When renting a large “destination property” such as a supervilla, a yacht charter, or other luxury vacation experience where a lot of money is at stake (or even a little), pay extra attention to the details. It pays to do your research when multiple friends or family members will be taking time off from work and booking plane reservations to the home, so why not take a little extra time and money to double check on the vacation home? Invest in paying a certified local realtor or reputable real estate agent in that area a modest consulting fee just to help verify that the property and owner is for real.
Before you opt to hire a local realtor on your behalf (see above), first ask the owner if an appointment can be made so the home can be viewed inside and out before payment is made. If they refuse, you know you should just move on to someone else.
It is a truly rare occurrence for anyone to be scammed in the world of luxury vacation rentals, but we hope a bit of extra caution and research can result in a great vacation in a beautiful villa rental or luxury holiday home.
Gorakhpur Is Most Beautiful Place For Traveling
Gorakhpur is one of the exclusive cities in India; it is situated near bank of river Rapti in Uttar Pradesh. On tours to Uttar Pradesh (Gorakhpur) you will come across so many beautiful and significant places of tourist interest. Gorakhpur is best place for recreation or traveling.
There is a lot of people come every year to see the Gorakhpur. There are too many temples and some historical building for visiting.
In Gorakhpur there are lot of place for traveling like Gorakhnath Temple, Gita press, Tarkulaha Devi temple and Chauri Chaura.
To see the Gorakhnath temple lot of visitors comes here every year. This temple placed in very large scale. Every here held the fair of Khichdi, at that time many visitors comes here from many villages and cities to Goraknath temple to worship of Lord Shiva and enjoying the fair. It is just 5 Km far from the Gorakhpur railway station.
There is one of the most significant place is Gita Press in Gorakhpur was establishing in the year of 1923 to spread the education about the Gita epic. It is just situated in Urdu Market of Gorakhpur.
The city of Gorakhpur is also a holy place you can also see the big Imambara here. This is constructed by Nawab Asafuddin in near about 1775. It is situated in Maya Bazaar just behind the Kotwali police station.
If you want to visit more other place, you could be going Tarkulaha Devi Temple is most exclusive attraction near Gorakhpur. This holy temple is just located near around 4 to 5 kilometers from Chauri Cahura. This temple has been founded by Deeb Bandhu Singh was the great freedom fighter.
Everyday many Buddhist Pilgrims visitors also come in Gorakhpur for visiting the Kushinagar. This is that place where Lord Buddha preached his last sermon. On every year on Buddha Purnima the lots of people in Kushi nagar celebrate the birthday of Lord Buddha. It just far 55 to 60 kilometers from Gorakhpu Railway stations. They just hire the bus or jeep for going Kushinagar; its just near the Deoria.
After visiting the, you can also see the gorakhpur city like Urdu Bazaar, Golghar Market, Rapti Nagar, Tara Mandal and Geta Vatika garden. The main market for shopping purpose, Golghar market is famous, you can purchase here everything which is you needed.
So if you are interested in traveling, to must be come one time in gorakhpur for traveling and see many beautiful and some historical places here. There are many travel agency and travel agent who are guiding you for traveling in city tour and tell them much other knowledge about India tour and city tour. You can also enjoy here your cheap vacation and cheap family holidays here; you just book your tickets online for recreation and enjoying you holidays.
[Top]Travel – How To Stay Happy And Healthy While Traveling
It doesn’t matter why you’re travelling or what your destination, fatigue, stress, an upset stomach or worse can spell disaster for your trip. Fortunately, the wear and tear of travel can be kept to a minimum with simple advance planning. If you’re looking for a better way to have easier trips and be more comfortable, here are some helpful tips to stay happy and healthy while traveling:
– When packing, you want to consider where you’re going, how long you’ll be away and what the climate is like at your destination. But no matter what sort of trip you’re planning, bring along a well-stocked self care kit.
– Have in your posession familiar store-brought remedies such as Maalox, Mylanta, Gelusil, Tums or Rolaids combat the stomach upset, heartburn and abdominal cramping sometimes caused by unfamiliar food or drink.
– Over the counter preparations like Imodium AD, Kaopectate or Pepto-Bismol are all effective at stopping diarrhea. Tablets are easier to take along on a trip, although the liquid forms of these medications usually offer faster relief.
– Avoid drinking alcohol because it is a depressant, and can aggravate lethargy and fatigue. It can also cause restlessness, which can disturb your sleep or keep you from sleeping altogether and can leave you feeling dehydrated.
– Don’t do to much caffeine because it can leave you feeling dehydrated and out of sorts. Too much caffeine can also cause nervousness, anxeity, tremors and insomnia.
– Make sure you drink plenty of water. Slight dehydration can cause listlessness and fatigue and can even make you prone to mental error – symptoms similar to those of jet lag.
In summary, let’s say you’re planning a trip to the tropics, get immunizations at least one month before your departure. Last minute efforts to obtain shots only compound the ordinary stress occasioned by an overseas journey. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention provides recorded messages outlining immunication requirements and recommendations for international travel. ********************************************************************************************************** Colon Bolden is an expert Article Writer and Guaranteed Home Income Consultant. Are you interested in a Global business by paying a one time out of pocket entry and make $5,000 and $20,000 over and over again? Do you know there is no sponsoring, no recruiting and no qualifying to join this TOP Teamwork and Global Leverage Business Opportunity? See what Return On Integrity Unlimited (ROI Unlimited) has to offer – you will be blown away! http://www.WealthBigTicket.info
[Top]Things To Do When Traveling In Cambodia
Cambodia is a land on the mend. From 1977 through 1980, the Khmer Rouge ruled the country, fanatics bent on genocide. Millions were killed and the period was put to film in the movie, “The Killing Fields.” Fortunately, those days are over and the country is becoming a tourist destination.
Cambodia is a land of incredible contrast. Thick forest, mountains and pristine rivers compliment amazing white beaches. When you get down to it, however, travelers know Cambodia for two things, Angkor Wat and the nastiest roads around. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia. The city is a combination of old French beauty and modern condominiums. The city is full of amazing Wats [Buddist monasteries], including Wat Ounalom, Wat Phnom and Wat Moha Montrei. Modern buildings surround these monasteries and it’s difficult to avoid a feeling that the old ways are being lost.
Still, the vibrancy of the city is impressive considering the fact that it was completely abandoned for three years in the last 70s. During this period, the Khmer Rouge tried to return the Cambodian people to their agricultural heritage and evacuated all cities. The only exception, of course, is Tuol Sleng, a high school used to torture and kill “enemies of the state.” Just beyond the city, one will also find the infamous killing fields where thousands upon thousands were put to death.
Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville is a small, sleepy village on the Southwest edge of Cambodia. Fairly undeveloped, the area is an oasis similar to the beaches of Thailand. The difference, however, is the lack of tourists. Depending on the time of year, the beaches can be more or less empty and privacy assured. Rooms run between $5 and $15 a night and come with private bathrooms. If you are looking to lounge professionally, Sihanoukville is a very good place to do it.
Angkor Wat
Stunning. There is no other word for the temples of Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is a temple surrounded by hundreds of others. Each is unique and worth a look. The most famous are Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Phrom. Angkor Wat is in the best shape as well as the most known. The Bayon is impressive, but the constant mob of tourist makes it a pain to visit. Ta Phrom is amazing because it has been left to the jungle, which is to say trees and the structure have become one in many areas. If you have seen Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie, you have seen Ta Phrom. Personally, I prefer Angkor Wat to the Pyramids in Egypt.
Roads From Hell
Cambodian roads are evil. There is simply no other way to put it. The country is hit by monsoons every year and is still recovering from the Khmer Rouge. This combination has resulted in roads with huge potholes, missing bridges and pretty much the worst elements of Dante’s Hell. Avoid them if at all possible!
For tips on types of perms and mice droppings, visit the Knowledge Galaxy website.
[Top]Three Travelling Bags of Life We Need to Carry in Life Journey
There was a man who wanted to cross the desert. This man took a travelling bag with him, which was filled with food and water. At the beginning, he had been walking towards the north of the desert, but a sudden dust storm happened at night. The next day, when he got out of the sand dunes, looking greenish yellow sky, he didn’t know where to go.
There was also a man who wanted to cross the desert. This man took a travelling bag with him, in which there was a compass. He thought he would cross the desert in a day, but the dust storm blocked his trip. When the sandstorm stopped, it was the next day morning. This man went on walking with his feet deeply or lowly immersed in the sand. However, he didn’t reach the center of the desert until the next evening. Later, being tired and hungry, he eventually passed out on the third day.
Another person also decided to cross the desert. He took two bags: one with a compass, so he had a very good sense of direction; the other was filled with food and water, so he wouldn’t worry about hunger and thirst. At first, when he met the person who lost the direction in the desert, he turned a blind eye; then he encountered the dying person who was lying on the sand dunes because of no food and water, he also took an indifferent glance and left; later, when he surpassed several people who needed help, he ignored them. The next day, this man met a group of bandits, who robbed not only camels but also two bags of him. Without a compass, this person walked blindly like the first; three days later, he was hungry to die like the second person.
The three men: the first lost his direction because of lacking a compass; the second lost his life because of lacking adequate food and water; although third person had both a compass and sufficient food and water, he lacked love. So, his outcome was the most tragic.
Person’s life is in fact a trip. Starting from the beginning of life, we should bring three bags: one with a compass, one with food and water and the other with love.
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