14 DAY TRIAL // As the London Olympics and Paralympics are near, scammers will try to profit from such a large event by doing everything in their power to dupe those who want to attend.
SCAMwatch and the UK Metropolitan Police released a warning concerning online accommodation scams in which crooks will try to offer you all sorts of fabulous deals.
One of the scammer's main tricks is to set up rogue websites or post fake ads for accommodations on legitimate websites. The offers are not real and once you contact them they will ask for up-front payment, after which you'll probably never see them again.
There are even some known situations where they asked for personal information which they later used to commit identity fraud.
Rogue sites that commercialize tickets should also be avoided as the tricksters can make a lot of money by selling them. Individuals who plan on attending the event are advised to purchase tickets only from the official website or from trusted partners.
To avoid accommodation scams, be sure to make reservations by directly contacting the hotel or though a trustworthy travel company. Also, to make sure the place you are booking is real, check online maps and official pictures to determine if they match the ads you answered.
Before approaching agents you need to check them out. Customers who get duped will in most cases post negative comments on the individual or company that scammed them.
If possible, try to avoid paying up front for anything. Once you fall in the trap it's very difficult to recover the amount you've lost, especially when making wire or international funds transfers.
A smart way to check out an advertisement is by typing its text exactly into a search engine. You never know when you might find the ad listed on a scam alert site.
Finally, if you plan on renting a property, make sure to request an inspection. The house or apartment you may be offered might belong to someone else but the person who pretends to lease it.