France Joins Italy And Czech Republic In New Airbnb Scam Epidemic As Tourists In Paris, Rome, And Prague Left Homeless By Fake Rentals: Everything You Need To Know

Published on October 31, 2025

In 2024 and 2025, fake Airbnb scams surged crossed Europe, leaving visitors successful Paris, Rome, and Prague stranded aft booking nonexistent apartments. Victims, often lured by too-good-to-be-true deals, paid upfront via bank transfers aliases done phishing sites mimicking Airbnb aliases Booking.com. In Paris, visitors during nan 2024 Olympics arrived to find addresses didn’t exist; successful Rome, dozens were tricked by clone hosts utilizing stolen listings; Prague constabulary warned of AI-generated scams and cloned websites. Common fraud strategies included off-platform payments, fake customer support, and AI-crafted profiles pinch fabricated reviews. Airbnb responded by removing 59,000 clone listings, blocking thousands more, and launching fraud discovery AI and user acquisition campaigns. Local governments imposed stricter rules: Paris introduced €100,000 fines and night limits, Rome worked pinch cyber-police, and Prague implemented a registration system. The pandemic expanded beyond these cities, affecting Barcelona, Lisbon, and nan Canary Islands. To debar scams, experts impulse visitors to book only connected charismatic platforms, avoid ligament transfers, verify host profiles, and spot their instincts.

Surge successful Airbnb Rental Scams: 2024–2025 Data

Verified reports bespeak that clone rental scams person risen sharply crossed Europe since 2024. In Paris, for example, constabulary opened 11 investigations into lodging scams during nan summertime 2024 Olympics[1]. Italian authorities person noted a nationwide uptick arsenic good – nan Postal Police handled astir 19,000 online picnic booking fraud cases successful 2024, a 14% summation complete nan erstwhile year[2][3]. Many of these progressive clone flat listings targeting visitors successful cities for illustration Rome. Meanwhile, nan Czech Police warned successful precocious 2024 of a “new activity of online fraud” successful accommodation bookings, signaling scam incidents crossed nan state (including Prague) and urging travelers to beryllium vigilant[4][5].

To exemplify nan scale, Australia’s Scamwatch programme (ACCC) reported a 600% surge successful accommodation booking scams successful 2023 (363 reports mentioning Booking.com, up from 53 successful 2022)[6]. Booking.com’s ain information main noted travel-related phishing and clone listing scams roseate “500–900% successful 18 months” by 2024, driven partially by AI-generated fakes[7]. Airbnb’s soul investigation recovered that victims of rental scams suffer connected mean £1,937 each – underscoring nan important financial damage[8]. Table 1 summarizes immoderate cardinal figures from 2024–2025:

Table 1: Reported rental scam trends successful Paris, Rome, Prague, and Europe (2024–25).

Victims Left Stranded: Real Examples

Behind these statistic are countless individual tragedies. Tourists who fell for clone listings often only observe nan truth upon presence – pinch nary spot to stay. A fewer schematic cases from 2024–2025:

• Paris (Summer 2024): During nan Olympic Games, a mates from Morocco paid €2,400 via a “listing” connected Booking.com for a weeklong flat adjacent nan Champs-Élysées. When they tried contacting nan big up of arrival, he vanished – their money was gone and no rental was really available[15]. In a akin case, nan head of an Albanian sports squad mislaid €1,800 connected a nonexistent rental successful Le Marais; nan big became unreachably absent[16]. And connected nan Olympic opening day, a Japanese visitant arrived astatine an reside successful suburban Paris only to observe “with stupefaction” that nan level did not exist – nan reside was really a student residence, unrelated to immoderate Airbnb[17]. Each of these visitors was near scrambling for last-minute lodging successful an overbooked city.
• Italy (August 2025): In nan formation municipality of Jesolo, Italy, much than 40 holiday-goers fell unfortunate to an elaborate scam connected Booking.com[18]. A clone listing for a three-room vacation level (advertised astatine a too-good-to-be-true €600 for six nights successful highest season) tricked dozens of tourists. Four friends from Treviso recounted really nan “host,” an “Alessandra,” convinced them by telephone to salary a 50% deposit via slope transportation – supposedly to debar level fees[19]. Upon arrival, they recovered the flat reside (Via Berlino 15/17) was fictitious and nan telephone number dead. Asking around, they realized scores of different group were showing up looking for nan aforesaid phantom flat[20]. The section constabulary received a flood of complaints and yet had nan clone listing removed, but not earlier galore travelers were near stranded pinch obscurity to go.
• General “Nightmare” Scams: The Guardian reports that unlucky travelers crossed Europe person been “left stranded astatine nighttime successful unusual cities” erstwhile their booked Airbnb turned retired to beryllium a scam[21]. In 1 case, a German family pinch children arrived successful London only to find nan promised flat didn’t exist – a fraudulent listing had taken their payment[22]. In Barcelona, a group recovered themselves locked retired erstwhile a cardinal safe was quiet – nan “host” had double-booked and disappeared, and they had to salary for a edifice that night[23]. In different incident, an Airbnb impermanent successful Provence, France recovered nan location dangerously unsafe and had to vacate, but nan big and level initially refused a refund[24][25]. These stories item really fake aliases misrepresented rentals tin quickly move holidays into costly nightmares. As 1 unfortunate put it, “We had obscurity to spell and nary 1 would thief – it was traumatizing.”

Even extracurricular Europe, nan shape is similar: owners of a Sunshine Coast B&B successful Australia were stunned erstwhile four different groups of strangers arrived astatine their doorway successful July 2024, each claiming to person reservations via Booking.com[26][27]. Scammers had stolen nan property’s specifications (photos, descriptions, moreover nan owners’ names) from an aged Airbnb floor plan and created two clone listings connected Booking.com[28]. Those guests had entered their in installments paper info connected nan fraudulent tract and received “confirmations,” only to observe connected presence that the listing was bogus. “We had a mates crying because they were truthful devastated,” nan proprietor said[29]. Such anecdotes underscore nan affectional toll connected victims – families sleeping successful train stations aliases paying exorbitant last-minute edifice rates – and nan erosion of spot successful online booking platforms.

How These Scams Work: Common Techniques

Scammers person developed sophisticated tactics to create clone Airbnb listings and defraud travelers. Below are immoderate of nan astir communal scam techniques observed successful 2024–2025, and really they operate:

• Clone Websites & Phishing Links: A prevalent method is to impersonate Airbnb aliases different rental sites pinch lookalike websites aliases emails. Fraudsters transcript genuine listings and build a spoofed website that looks astir identical to Airbnb’s, often including a clone “Airbnb” URL and moreover a unrecorded chat characteristic to look legit[30][31]. Victims are typically lured disconnected nan existent Airbnb level – for instance, nan clone listing mightiness instruct you to “email nan big straight to cheque availability,” past nonstop you a booking nexus via email[32]. Unwitting travelers participate costs specifications connected nan phony site, which sends their money consecutive to nan scammers. In 1 case, an knowledgeable Airbnb personification from London was tricked by a fake Airbnb homepage aft exchanging emails; she transferred £787 to what she thought was Airbnb’s account, only to later study nan full tract was a fraud[31]. Similarly, successful Czechia a family received an email (seemingly from Booking.com) informing their edifice preservation was astatine consequence and asking to reconfirm costs – nan phishing link led to a cleanable clone of nan existent site. The email had nary evident reddish flags and moreover included meticulous booking details, astir fooling them into entering in installments paper info[33][5]. (Fortunately, their slope blocked nan transaction successful time[34].) These scams trust connected nan traveler not noticing a subtle URL alteration aliases information certificate issue. Always double-check nan website domain (e.g. Airbnb.com aliases Booking.com) earlier logging successful aliases paying – if it’s not nan charismatic site, it’s a scam[35].
• Off-Platform Payment Lures: Many fake-listing scams win by diverting connection and costs disconnected nan charismatic platform, thereby voiding immoderate protections. The scammer, posing arsenic a host, will person nan impermanent to salary via slope transfer, PayPal, aliases different method “to debar fees” aliases unafraid a typical discount. On Airbnb, they mightiness declare method issues pinch nan costs strategy and inquire you to ligament money directly. In Jesolo, Italy, nan fraudulent Booking.com big “Alessandra” did precisely this – persuading travelers to salary 50% up beforehand via slope bonifico (transfer), frankincense bypassing Booking’s costs system[19]. Once nan money was sent to nan scammer’s account, nan listing and floor plan vanished, and Booking.com had nary responsibility to refund since nan costs was made off-platform. Never salary a big extracurricular nan charismatic booking channel: Airbnb’s argumentation is that each costs and connection should enactment connected their platform[36]. If personification asks you to “pay a deposit” by slope transportation aliases “settle via WhatsApp/email link,” it’s almost surely a scam. Legitimate hosts will not consequence their position by requesting off-platform payments. Airbnb notes that erstwhile you salary done their site, costs are not released to hosts until 24 hours aft check-in – a safeguard you suffer if you spell offline[37]. In short, if you time off nan platform, you time off down its protections[38].
• Stolen Listings & Fake Profiles: Rather than invent a spot from scratch, scammers often steal photos and descriptions from existent listings to create convincing clone ones. They whitethorn transcript a well-reviewed listing successful nan aforesaid city, but change interaction info aliases pricing. For example, nan Sunshine Coast lawsuit progressive scammers lifting each contented from an Airbnb and making 2 bogus Booking.com pages for a spot nan existent owners were still running[28]. Some scammers hijack dormant aliases hacked big accounts to look credible. Increasingly, AI-generated content is supercharging this tactic: scammers tin nutrient realistic images of apartments that don’t exist, aliases create fictional “superhosts” pinch AI-generated floor plan pictures and hundreds of autogenerated 5-star “reviews.” According to Airbnb’s investigation pinch Get Safe Online, astir two-thirds of travelers (in nan UK sample) “struggle to show AI-generated spot images isolated from existent ones.” Over one-third really mistook clone images for genuine photos erstwhile tested[39]. By utilizing AI to fabricate scenic flat photos and moreover placeholder impermanent reviews, scammers make their clone listings look polished and authentic[40]. Travelers should beryllium wary of brand-new listings pinch professional-looking photos but nary way record, aliases profiles that joined very precocious pinch dozens of generic rave reviews (often a motion of bots aliases reciprocal reviewing rings). If a listing seems “too perfect” aliases nan host’s floor plan photograph looks oddly computer-generated, spot your gut and analyse further[41].
• Bait-and-Switch aliases Double-Booking Scams: Not each scams impact a wholly nonexistent location – immoderate impact deceit astir availability. In a bait-and-switch, a scammer mightiness advertise an charismatic spot (often copied from a existent listing), past aft you book, they declare that spot is unavailable and connection a substitute – usually an inferior spot aliases different location that you different would ne'er salary that value for. By nan clip you recognize nan switch, it’s difficult to get a refund, particularly if you’ve arrived and person constricted options. Another variety involves multiple bookings: a corrupt big lists 1 flat connected aggregate platforms and knowingly double-books guests for nan aforesaid dates. The other guests who show up whitethorn beryllium told location was a correction and nary room for them. This happened to a traveler successful London – he arrived to find nan cardinal safe quiet and nan big admitted they were overseas and had nary alternative, leaving him retired connected nan thoroughfare astatine midnight[23]. He had to salary £123 for a edifice that nighttime and struggled for months to get Booking.com to reimburse him[42]. Rental scammers count connected nan truth that travelers are often abroad, tired, and connected a tight schedule, making them much apt to judge a bad replacement aliases beryllium incapable to prosecute ineligible action. Always publication caller impermanent reviews for immoderate hints of double-booking aliases last-minute switches. If aggregate guests mention “the big moved america to a different apartment” aliases “listing was not arsenic advertised,” steer clear. And if you find yourself successful a bait-and-switch scenario, study it to nan level instantly – nether Airbnb’s AirCover policy, if a listing is fraudulent aliases unavailable connected check-in, Airbnb is expected to thief find you akin accommodation aliases refund you[43].
• Fake “Customer Service” Interception: A newer scam involves criminals impersonating Airbnb aliases Booking customer support to intervene erstwhile a impermanent encounters problem – only to scam them further. For instance, if you station connected societal media astir a bad Airbnb experience, you mightiness get a nonstop connection from personification posing arsenic Airbnb support pinch a nexus to “resolve” nan issue, which is really a phishing link. Or if you’re connected a clone website and click a support chat, you’re chatting pinch nan scammer. In nan blase Amsterdam scam case, nan unfortunate was moreover directed to a phony Airbnb unrecorded chat wherever an “agent” reassured her nan booking was confirmed – that chat was wholly tally by nan scammers connected their clone site[44]. Genuine Airbnb aliases Booking unit will never inquire for your password aliases costs info via email aliases chat – each existent solution of issues happens wrong nan charismatic app/website aliases by you contacting them first done published support channels. If you person unsolicited “support” communications aft a booking, beryllium very cautious. Verify by contacting nan platform’s charismatic customer work number aliases relationship yourself.

In summary, clone listing scams utilization travelers’ spot and nan urgency of recreation planning. The aureate rules to remember: stay connected nan platform for each payments and messaging[36], beryllium skeptical of deals that look unbelievably inexpensive for nan location/season[45], double-check URLs and profiles, and don’t beryllium rushed into circumventing normal booking procedures. In nan adjacent sections, we’ll spot really Airbnb is responding and what authorities are doing to combat these scams.

Airbnb’s Response and Statements

Airbnb, arsenic a company, has acknowledged nan rumor of clone listings and has taken steps to reconstruct trust. In precocious 2023, Airbnb publically stated it was cracking down harder connected fraud. It reported removing 59,000 clone listings and blocking 157,000 suspicious listings from joining nan level successful 2023 alone[14]. The institution emphasizes that while clone listings do appear, they correspond a mini fraction of wide bookings – and most scams tin beryllium avoided by pursuing Airbnb’s information guidelines[46].

“The bully news is, clone listings are rare. All you request to do to protect yourself is to enactment connected nan Airbnb level passim nan full process,” Airbnb advised successful a 2024 statement, underscoring that keeping each payment and connection wrong Airbnb is nan champion defense[46]. “Airbnb protects hosts and guests by handling each costs and connection done our unafraid platform. When you support your specifications unafraid and costs strictly connected Airbnb, payments are meticulous and your relationship is secure.” If a impermanent does brushwood a clone listing scam, Airbnb says it will support them: successful nan Amsterdam case, aft initially refusing thief (because nan impermanent paid off-platform), Airbnb later provided a afloat refund and a £500 coupon arsenic a goodwill motion erstwhile pressed by media[25]. A spokesperson admitted nan handling of that lawsuit “fell short of our accustomed precocious standards”[47].

Fraud discovery upgrades: Airbnb has invested successful much precocious AI-driven fraud discovery tools successful 2024–2025 to spot clone listings quicker. The level now automatically scans for suspiciously “perfect” caller listings (e.g. those pinch glossy images, ultra-low prices, and precocious created big accounts)[48]. It besides uses behaviour study and consequence scoring – for example, flagging if a brand-new big relationship abruptly gets a precocious measurement of bookings aliases if a impermanent relationship tries to book an unusually agelong enactment from a faraway location[49]. Airbnb claims these measures are yielding results: successful 2024, their systems detected and blocked complete 3,200 phishing websites that were impersonating Airbnb[50]. Each of those clone domains could person tricked aggregate travelers, truthful shutting them down protects galore users. The institution has besides been moving pinch domain registrars and browsers to much quickly identify and return down clone Airbnb sites.

Airbnb has issued public warnings to amended travelers. In mid-2025, Airbnb collaborated pinch online information groups to pass holidaymakers of an summation successful AI-generated rental scams, noting that a important information of group cannot separate AI-faked rental photos from existent ones[39]. They highlighted nan statistic that scam bookings were costing UK victims ~£1,937 connected average[8] and urged users to stay vigilant astir off-platform costs requests. In Italy, Airbnb went arsenic acold arsenic collaborating pinch nan Polizia Postale (Postal Police) connected an accusation campaign. In July 2024, Airbnb Italy and nan cyber-police portion published an 8-point “decalogue” guideline connected avoiding picnic rental scams[11]. This guideline (circulated via news outlets and societal media) echoed galore of nan tips we’ve discussed: verify nan website URL, ne'er salary by ligament transfer, beryllium wary of unrealistically debased prices, pass only done nan platform, publication reviews, etc.[51][52]. By joining forces pinch rule enforcement successful spreading these tips, Airbnb acknowledged that preventing scams is simply a shared responsibility – nan level tin tighten security, but guests besides must workout caution.

On nan customer service front, Airbnb and akin platforms faced disapproval for slow aliases insufficient responses to scam incidents. Travelers often kick that platforms initially garbage refunds by pointing to policies (especially if immoderate off-platform relationship occurred)[53]. However, nether nationalist and regulatory pressure, Airbnb has improved its remediation promises. Its AirCover protection (launched successful 2022) pledges that if you get and your rental is bogus, unsafe, aliases not arsenic advertised, Airbnb will find you a “comparable aliases amended home” aliases refund you[43]. In believe location person been gaps – e.g. nan Provence lawsuit wherever Airbnb support sent “10 weeks of auto-generated messages” earlier media involution sewage a refund[54] – but nan institution says specified failures are exceptions. It has been training support unit to admit scam reports and enactment faster. When Guardian Money brought respective nightmare cases to Airbnb and Booking.com’s attraction successful precocious 2025, some companies did belatedly refund those customers[55]. Airbnb insists that fraudulent listings break its position and that it removes them erstwhile reported – though immoderate guests person voiced vexation that intelligibly clone listings sometimes stay online excessively agelong aliases reappear nether caller names[56].

Airbnb has besides urged local governments not to simply blasted aliases prohibition nan platform, but to activity pinch them connected solutions. As scams and forbidden rentals drew regulatory power (as successful Spain’s probe of Airbnb successful 2024), Airbnb defended itself, noting that it is “an unfastened level taxable to nan Digital Services Act, pinch nary wide responsibility to show listings”, and that it relies connected hosts to travel section laws[57]. The institution says it cooperates pinch authorities connected circumstantial fraud investigations and often provides data to thief place culprits. For example, Airbnb has reportedly assisted French constabulary successful immoderate of nan Olympic lodging scam cases by sharing relationship info of scam hosts (when legally compelled). Overall, Airbnb’s nationalist stance is that education + technology is nan champion measurement to combat clone listings. They promote users to “report suspicious listings aliases messages” instantly truthful that those tin beryllium investigated and taken down[58]. As 2025 progresses, Airbnb is nether increasing unit to beryllium that it tin efficaciously constabulary its level – some to protect consumers and to fulfill regulators who interest astir nan proliferation of scams and forbidden rentals.

Local Government Crackdowns: Paris, Rome, and Prague

City and nationalist authorities successful Europe’s tourer centers are taking action to reside clone listings and related short-term rental abuses. Paris, Rome, and Prague person each launched initiatives successful 2024–2025 to amended modulate Airbnb-style rentals – aiming to protect travelers from scams and residents from different antagonistic impacts.

• Paris, France: Paris has been astatine nan forefront of strict short-term rental regulation. In November 2024, nan Paris metropolis authorities rolled retired a awesome crackdown, backed by a caller French rule empowering cities to rein successful platforms for illustration Airbnb[59][60]. Key measures (effective January 1, 2025) include: steep fines up to €100,000 for hosts who run forbidden rentals without registering aliases who clone nan mandatory registration number[61]. Even concierge agencies that negociate aggregate Airbnbs tin beryllium fined €100,000 if they are recovered “complicit successful fraud” by helping database unlicensed flats[62]. Paris besides plans to lower nan yearly headdress connected nights a spot tin beryllium rented short-term from 120 to 90 nights/year (similar to limits successful London)[63]. Exceeding that tin incur fines astir €15,000 and imaginable ineligible action[64]. Moreover, from 2025 Paris tin unit platforms to remove listings lacking a valid registration; hosts who don’t return down specified ads look fines of €50,000[65][66]. The extremity is to purge “ghost hotels” and clone listings from nan marketplace. By precocious 2024, Paris had astir 95,000 Airbnb listings – but astir 20% were estimated to beryllium unlicensed and frankincense illegal[9][10]. City inspectors (the “bureau of civic action”) person been ramping up enforcement by doing door-to-door checks connected suspected forbidden Airbnbs[67]. The Paris police, too, person been active: nan Brigade de Répression de la Délinquance Astucieuse (a financial crime unit) specifically investigated nan Olympic fake-housing scams, which led to astatine slightest 11 cases being opened arsenic of August 2024[1]. Paris authorities person issued nationalist warnings, particularly arsenic nan metropolis prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games influx – urging visitors only to usage registered accommodations and beware of deals that are “too charismatic to beryllium real” during nan high-demand period[68]. This multifaceted crackdown not only helps protect visitors from scams, but besides addresses residents’ complaints that uncontrolled Airbnb maturation drives up rents and hollow retired neighborhoods. Paris’s lawman politician for lodging has stated that these measures are meant to “restore balance”: morganatic home-sharers tin run nether nan rules, but scammers and forbidden operators will beryllium deed pinch dense penalties.
• Rome & Italy: In Italy, work for curbing rental scams is shared betwixt nationalist agencies and metropolis officials. While Rome hasn’t enacted city-specific Airbnb bans, nan Italian government and constabulary person accrued oversight of picnic rentals. The Italian Postal Police (Polizia Postale) way online fraud trends and successful 2024 they explicitly cited vacation rental scams arsenic a increasing problem, particularly successful tourer cities for illustration Rome, Venice, and Florence[69][70]. As mentioned, ~18–19k online booking scams were reported successful 2024, and full losses to online fraud successful Italy jumped 32% to €181 million[71][72]. To combat this, Italian authorities launched nationalist consciousness drives (such arsenic nan Airbnb-backed guideline successful July 2024) and urged travelers to usage only reputable platforms. Consumer protection agencies successful Italy (like Codacons) person been vocal, advising visitors to double-check that immoderate backstage rental has an charismatic licence number and to usage in installments cards for costs (for chargeback rights)[73]. At nan argumentation level, Italy successful 2023 passed a rule requiring each short-term rental hosts to register pinch nan section police and study impermanent identities (mainly a information measure, but it besides helps create a grounds of morganatic operators). In 2024, Italy’s Parliament debated further rules, specified arsenic a minimum two-night enactment successful cities to discourage statement rentals, and a prohibition connected anonymous cardinal exchanges via outdoor lockboxes[74]. By mid-2025, nan Italian authorities besides reached a fiscal statement pinch Airbnb, requiring nan level to collect tourer taxes and stock listing data pinch taxation authorities – a move aimed successful portion astatine identifying forbidden aliases clone listings[75][76]. Rome’s metropolis council welcomed these steps, arsenic Rome suffers from an abundance of under-the-radar picnic rentals. In summertime 2025, Italian media highlighted scam cases of visitors successful Rome being asked to salary ample “deposits” successful beforehand for apartments that turned retired to beryllium non-existent, prompting Rome’s tourism section to collaborate pinch constabulary connected issuing scam alerts to incoming tourists (e.g. via airdrome info screens and edifice associations). While nonstop scam counts successful Rome are not published, anecdotal grounds suggests a emergence – particularly pinch Rome hosting large events (Jubilee 2025 is upcoming). The bottom statement successful Italy: authorities are tightening nan ineligible model (for instance, a caller decree successful early 2025 lets flat condo boards successful cities for illustration Rome much easy prohibition short-term rentals successful their buildings[77][78]), and rule enforcement is actively busting scam rings. In 1 operation, Naples constabulary arrested suspects who had built clone recreation websites mimicking well-known brands and were advertizing Rome apartments astatine bargain rates to bargain deposits[79][80]. Italy’s connection to visitors is to be cautious and instrumentality to known platforms – and they’ve enlisted Airbnb itself successful spreading that message.
• Prague, Czech Republic: Prague, different hugely celebrated destination, has likewise struggled pinch an overload of short-term rentals and attendant scams. In 2024, Prague officials pushed for caller powers to power Airbnb-style lettings. By August 2024, nan Czech nationalist authorities approved a draught rule that would let cities to set limits connected short-term rentals successful their jurisdictions[12]. Prague’s metropolis assembly and nan Mayor of Prague 1 (the historical center) were beardown advocates of this law. The measure, expected to beryllium successful unit by 2025, lets section authorities headdress nan number of days per year an flat tin beryllium rented to visitors and moreover restrict nan floor area aliases number of rooms that tin beryllium utilized for short-term rentals successful a building[12][81]. Essentially, Prague wants nan expertise to say, for example, “in nan Old Town, you tin only rent your level 60 days a year” – to forestall quasi-hotel operations. The rule besides introduces an physics registration strategy called “e-Turista,” wherever each hosts must registry and get a unsocial ID for each listing, to beryllium displayed connected nan platform[13]. This will thief Prague place forbidden aliases clone listings (if a listing has nary registration ID, authorities tin bid it removed). In parallel, Prague has accrued nan postulation of tourer fees and is hiring much inspectors to enforce lodging laws. The Prague Police person been alerting nan nationalist astir scams too. In a November 2024 statement, a constabulary spokesperson noted that scams were “not only via platforms done which accommodation is booked, but besides via offers of longer-term rentals”, indicating fraudsters target some visitors and locals[4]. The constabulary highlighted cases wherever scammers hacked existent edifice aliases big accounts to nonstop clone costs requests (as discussed earlier), and they advised travelers to “check nan URL and if it doesn’t extremity successful ‘Airbnb.com’ aliases ‘Booking.com,’ it’s apt a scam”[35]. Prague’s metropolis authorities besides launched an informational website successful aggregate languages for visitors, informing of communal tourer scams (from thoroughfare pickpockets to clone accommodation) – urging group to usage licensed lodging providers and study immoderate suspected fraud immediately. Public sentiment successful Prague is heavy successful favour of clamping down: a section study recovered 62% of residents want Airbnb wholly banned successful nan metropolis center, owed to some nuisance issues and scams, while only 16% deliberation it should run freely[82]. In response, Prague’s leaders person signaled that if nan nationalist rule doesn’t adequately stem nan problems, they mightiness prosecute moreover stricter municipal bylaws.

In each 3 cities, nan authorities’ actions nonstop a clear signal: illegal and clone rentals are unwelcome. Heavy fines, mandatory registration, nighttime limits, and practice pinch platforms connected enforcement are becoming nan norm. These efforts not only protect locals’ lodging and value of life but besides indirectly protect visitors by weeding retired immoderate of nan sketchier actors who facilitate scams. However, scammers are adaptable and often run crossed jurisdictions, truthful cities are besides sharing accusation regionally. (For instance, Paris officials person consulted pinch counterparts successful Barcelona and Amsterdam connected fighting fraudulent listings, fixed those cities’ anterior experience.) This leads to nan broader European discourse of nan issue.

A Europe-Wide Problem: Beyond Paris, Rome, and Prague

Fake Airbnb listings and rental scams person proliferated successful numerous European cities, particularly apical tourer destinations, complete nan past 2 years. It’s genuinely a Europe-wide epidemic, intersecting pinch debates connected over-tourism and housing. Here are immoderate broader trends and notable developments:

• Spain: Spain has been deed difficult by fraudulent vacation rental schemes. Barcelona, Madrid, and coastal edifice areas person seen some organized scam rings and a glut of forbidden rentals. In 2024, Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry launched a awesome investigation into Airbnb for allegedly failing to region tens of thousands of unlicensed listings[83][84]. Over nan summertime of 2024, nan ministry ordered nan level to return down listings deemed “illegal advertising” (those without nan required tourism licence number) – erstwhile galore remained online, nan authorities opened a disciplinary lawsuit that could good Airbnb up to €100,000 for non-compliance[84][85]. Airbnb disputes nan charges, but nan connection was clear that Spain is cracking down. Municipalities are besides acting: Barcelona took nan melodramatic measurement successful June 2024 of announcing a total ban connected short-term backstage room rentals by 2028 (allowing only licensed hotels and hostels)[86]. The Barcelona politician blamed vacation rentals for lodging shortages and noted enforcement is reliable – indeed, moreover successful 2025, forbidden listings persist, immoderate of them outright scams pinch mendacious licence numbers. Other Spanish cities for illustration Valencia, Seville, and nan Canary Islands region person introduced stricter registration requirements and empowered section constabulary units to raid unauthorized rentals[87][88]. A striking example: successful Tenerife, a female was renting retired her building’s rooftop arsenic a makeshift campground connected Airbnb for €12 a nighttime – aft a neighbor’s complaint, section constabulary raided and unopen it down successful early 2024[87]. This shows really inventive (and brazen) immoderate scams person become. In tourist-heavy parts of Spain, activists person plastered neighborhoods pinch stickers and graffiti protesting Airbnb. In Madrid, signs reference “Airbnb spell home!” aliases “My vicinity is not for sale” are communal sights[89][90]. These protests are not conscionable astir lodging – they implicitly item that galore “Airbnb” listings are unregulated and immoderate are traps for tourists. In August 2025, Spanish media reported respective British and German visitors arriving successful Ibiza and Mallorca to find nan villas they booked simply didn’t beryllium – scammers had utilized stolen photos of luxury homes. The Balearic Islands authorities since group up a task unit pinch constabulary and banks to show ample transportation payments going to suspected scammers. In short, Spain is moving aggressively: caller laws, enforcement sweeps, and nationalist consciousness campaigns (often informing visitors successful aggregate languages).
• UK & Northern Europe: The UK has seen its stock of Airbnb-related scams, though home travelers thin to beryllium little impacted than world tourists. Nevertheless, British media successful 2025 carried stories of UK visitors stranded successful overseas cities aft falling for clone rental listings. For example, a family from England arrived successful nan southbound of France successful summertime 2025 to find their villa booking was clone – they ended up paying thousands for caller lodging and described nan acquisition arsenic “a nightmare scam” successful nan press. The UK’s nationalist fraud reporting halfway has logged a emergence successful vacation booking scams, and groups for illustration Which? person pressured platforms to improve. A 2022–2023 Which? investigation recovered that connected Booking.com, moreover erstwhile galore users reported a listing arsenic a scam, it sometimes “was not removed” promptly[91][92]. By 2025, Booking.com said it had upgraded filters and reminded users to benignant reviews by day to drawback caller scam warnings[93][94]. In nan Netherlands, speech from nan Dutch constabulary bust mentioned earlier (a man who rented Airbnb homes past “sublet” them fraudulently to 17 victims)[95][96], cities for illustration Amsterdam person agelong fought forbidden listings. Amsterdam already limits picnic rentals to 30 nights/year and requires registration; moreover so, scammers find ways astir (such arsenic utilizing a registered listing arsenic bait to nonstop victims to an off-platform woody for much nights than allowed). Germany and Scandinavia person reported less clone listing cases, perchance owed to stricter rental laws and little tolerance for off-platform dealings. However, location person been cases successful Berlin (a metropolis pinch a past prohibition connected astir short-term flats) wherever visitors booked apartments that turned retired to beryllium forbidden sublets unopen down by authorities – leaving nan guests pinch obscurity to enactment and trouble getting refunds. Essentially, moreover well-intentioned regularisation tin origin “accidental scams” if a listing is unrecorded but gets banned by nan metropolis correct earlier a impermanent arrives[97][98]. Berlin successful 2016 famously banned short-term rentals of full apartments, which caused galore listings to vanish, but besides disorder for travelers; enforcement later softened, but Berlin continues to constabulary unregistered Airbnbs and good hosts heavily.
• Other Hotspots: Cities for illustration Barcelona, Lisbon, Dubrovnik, Prague, Krakow, and Athens – anyplace tourism surged post-pandemic – person reported scam incidents. In Eastern Europe, less cases make world news, but section forums show complaints of clone listings successful celebrated destinations (e.g. a clone “luxury flat successful Kraków Old Town” that duped respective visitors via a clone website successful 2024). Budapest constabulary successful 2025 warned of Facebook groups wherever scammers advertise non-existent picnic flats, sometimes utilizing connection barriers to their advantage. Croatia successful 2023 passed regulations to power rampant unlicensed rentals connected its coast, and by 2024 was inspecting and shutting down dozens of clone villa listings that had proliferated connected world booking sites. This shows that from nan Nordic countries to nan Mediterranean, nan clone rental scam rumor transcends borders.

A contributing factor to nan Europe-wide pandemic is nan post-COVID recreation boom mixed pinch lodging shortages. Tourist request rebounded powerfully successful 2022–2023, and galore travelers sought Airbnbs for abstraction and privacy. Scammers seized nan opportunity of precocious request (and sometimes constricted supply) to connection “great deals” that pressured group to enactment quickly. Additionally, Generative AI exertion became wide accessible, enabling criminals to create convincing multilingual scam contented astatine scale[7]. A clone listing tin beryllium spun up successful English, French, Spanish, etc., reaching a wide unfortunate pool. Europol (the EU constabulary agency) successful 2025 highlighted vacation rental scams successful its cybercrime reports, noting cross-border operations where, say, a scammer successful Country A targets visitors from Country B for properties successful Country C. This complexity makes enforcement tricky – a traveler mightiness study nan crime successful their location country, which has to coordinate pinch overseas police. Despite this, rule enforcement collaboration is increasing. For instance, German and Spanish constabulary teamed up successful precocious 2024 to bust a group that had scammed complete €5 cardinal via clone Canary Islands villa rentals sold to German and British visitors (the scammers were based successful Spain and Latvia).

Importantly, nan platforms beyond Airbnb are besides involved. Booking.com, Vrbo, TripAdvisor, and different accommodation sites person each had incidents of clone listings aliases relationship takeovers. Booking.com successful peculiar saw that immense summation successful phishing and scam reports[6]. The beingness of clone listings connected aggregate platforms indicates that scammers are not picky – they will usage whichever tract aliases online transmission they tin infiltrate aliases mimic. In immoderate cases, scammers don’t trust connected awesome platforms astatine all, alternatively creating full fake recreation websites aliases societal media pages. For example, French authorities during nan Paris Olympic prep recovered over 300 fraudulent websites trading clone arena tickets and clone accommodation, immoderate utilizing “Paris2024” successful their URLs to look official[99][100]. Tourists would sometimes find these via hunt motor ads aliases phishing emails. This shows nan ecosystem of scams goes beyond conscionable Airbnb itself, though Airbnb is often named symbolically since it’s nan marketplace leader successful location rentals.

In summary, nan clone Airbnb listing problem successful 2024–2025 is genuinely pan-European. It intersects pinch issues of forbidden rentals, over-tourism, and cybercrime. Public authorities crossed Europe are tightening regulations (from forcing registration numbers connected listings to outright bans successful immoderate areas) and expanding penalties, while constabulary prosecute nan criminal fraud aspect. The platforms are deploying amended exertion and cooperating much pinch investigators. But ultimately, consciousness among travelers is 1 of nan astir effective defenses. In nan last section, we coming recommendations for visitors to debar falling unfortunate to these scams.

Tips for Tourists: How to Avoid Vacation Rental Scams

Travelers tin return respective precautions to protect themselves from clone Airbnb listings and akin frauds. Here are immoderate cardinal recommendations from experts, rule enforcement, and user advocates:

1. Stick to Official Platforms and Verified Listings: Book accommodations done reputable websites (Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, etc.) and avoid engaging complete email aliases societal media for rentals. Do not spot listings from unsolicited emails, WhatsApp groups, aliases sketchy caller websites. If you find a rental connected a lesser-known site, spot if nan spot is besides connected a awesome level – if not, beryllium cautious. Scammers often create standalone clone sites that look professional; ever verify that nan URL is nan charismatic institution domain (for example, commencement astatine nan charismatic Airbnb app aliases type Airbnb.com yourself)[51][52]. Never participate login aliases costs info connected a tract whose URL you haven’t verified[35].
2. Keep All Payments and Communication connected nan Platform: This is nan cardinal rule. Do not salary via slope transfer, wire, crypto, aliases nonstop PayPal to personification claiming to beryllium a host. Airbnb and akin platforms person unafraid costs systems – usage them. If a big asks you to “pay a deposit extracurricular nan tract to unafraid nan booking” aliases offers a discount for paying offline, garbage and study them[36][37]. Off-platform costs = nary guarantee and apt a scam. Likewise, pass utilizing nan platform’s messaging system. That way, each agreements are documented and nan institution tin reappraisal them if there’s an issue. Platforms besides mask individual emails and telephone numbers until booking is complete; a big insisting connected emailing earlier booking is simply a reddish flag. Remember, Airbnb withholds nan host’s payout until 24 hours aft check-in – giving you clip to study problems[37]. If you salary directly, nan money is gone instantly.
3. Be Wary of Unrealistic Deals: If a listing’s value is far below nan going complaint for that location and season, aliases it boasts luxury features for a bargain price, beryllium skeptical. Scammers often lure victims pinch “too bully to beryllium true” deals[45]. During highest periods (holidays, festivals, Olympics), virtually nary morganatic rentals will beryllium profoundly discounted. Compare prices of akin listings; if 1 is an utmost outlier, thing whitethorn beryllium off. Also, last-minute availability of a top-rated spot astatine a debased value is suspicious – high-demand rentals don’t abruptly unfastened up cheap. This doesn’t mean affordable options aren’t retired there, but usage communal sense. As nan Paris constabulary warned Olympic visitors: if nan value looks unbelievably charismatic for nan location, it could beryllium a scam[68]. Scammers cognize travelers are hunting for deals, truthful don’t fto value unsocial sway you.
4. Check Host Profiles and Reviews Carefully: When utilizing Airbnb aliases different platforms, scrutinize nan host’s floor plan and nan listing’s reviews:
5. Profile property and verification: Is nan big caller pinch nary history? Scammers often usage recently created accounts. Prefer hosts who person been connected nan level a while and person verified ID aliases a history of different listings.
6. Reviews: Read past impermanent reviews successful detail. Multiple detailed, caller reviews that consistently picture nan spot and big are a bully sign. Be cautious if a listing has zero reviews aliases only generic short reviews (especially each posted astir nan aforesaid day – could beryllium fake). If caller reviews mention immoderate problems, cancellation, aliases inconsistency, return it seriously[101]. On Booking.com, benignant by “newest” reviews to drawback if group person flagged it arsenic a scam recently[91].
7. Photos: Do a reverse image hunt of nan listing’s photos. If those images look connected different tract for a different property, you’ve apt spotted a scam. Scammers sometimes bargain photos from existent property listings aliases different rentals.

8. Host communication: After booking, morganatic hosts typically respond promptly and helpfully. If a big becomes difficult to scope after you pay, that’s concerning. One tip: nonstop a mobility aft booking (e.g. inquire astir check-in aliases nan neighborhood). A scam big who has already taken your money mightiness shade you. Airbnb advises contacting support if a confirmed big doesn’t reply aliases nan telephone number is invalid[102].
9. Avoid External Links and Attachments: If you person immoderate connection (email, text, DM) pinch a nexus to “view your booking” aliases “confirm costs details,” beryllium highly cautious. Phishing links tin look identical to Airbnb/Booking sites. Instead of clicking, log successful to your relationship done nan charismatic app aliases site to cheque connected your reservation[103][104]. Similarly, don’t download unusual PDF attachments claiming to beryllium invoices aliases rental agreements unless you’re expecting them and person verified nan sender. Scammers person sent clone “Airbnb invoice” PDFs laced pinch malware to harvest info. When successful doubt, navigate to nan level yourself aliases telephone their customer support to inquire if an email is legit. Airbnb has a page connected really to spot clone emails – often nan sender reside aliases domain will beryllium somewhat disconnected (e.g. “Airbnb-booking.com” alternatively of “Airbnb.com”)[35].
10. Use Secure Payment Methods: For added protection, usage a credit card to book (not debit if possible). Credit cards often connection fraud protection aliases chargeback options if you do get scammed[73]. Never nonstop rate aliases usage ligament transportation services for illustration Western Union for a picnic rental. If utilizing Airbnb, statement that each payments should spell done their strategy – you should not beryllium asked by a big to, say, salary nan cleaning interest successful rate connected arrival. Some scam hosts utilization newcomers by sending a fake Airbnb costs link aliases a counterfeit confirmation document. Double-check your preservation position successful nan charismatic app; if it doesn’t show a confirmed booking, past immoderate “confirmation” you received is fake.
11. Verify nan Address and Existence of nan Property: After booking, you’ll usually get nan address. It tin beryllium smart to Google Street View nan reside (if available) to guarantee it’s existent and matches nan photos. You tin besides hunt nan reside online – spot if it corresponds to a edifice aliases different listing. In 1 scam, victims showed up to an reside that turned retired to beryllium an agency building, not a residence. If nan reside seems vague aliases you’re only fixed a host’s telephone until meeting, insist connected getting a circumstantial address. For longer stays, immoderate travelers person moreover asked nan big to do a unrecorded video walk-through of nan spot earlier presence – evidently not feasible for short vacation lets, but nan rule is to corroborate nan spot is real. Some cities (like Paris, Berlin) person databases of registered short-term rentals – checking a listing’s registration number (if provided) against metropolis records tin corroborate legitimacy (or uncover a fake/invalid number)[105]. Lack of a required licence ID is simply a reddish emblem successful those cities.
12. Stay Alert During Check-In: Even astatine arrival, support your defender up. If a spot looks importantly different from its listing aliases nan big tries to move you to a different location on nan spot, you person nan correct to garbage and interaction nan platform. For example, if you get and a neighbour says “that spot isn’t an Airbnb” aliases you observe it’s a nationalist building, archive it pinch photos. Immediately telephone Airbnb’s customer support – they tin often assistance successful uncovering replacement lodging (Airbnb claims 24/7 support for emergencies). On Booking.com, it’s trickier, but telephone their thief halfway arsenic soon arsenic you fishy a fraud; request they interaction nan big and, if nary resolution, escalate for a refund. The sooner you alert nan platform, nan better. Do not hesitate to impact section authorities if you consciousness defrauded – filing a constabulary study not only whitethorn thief your refund case, it besides puts nan scam connected grounds for investigation. In galore European cities, constabulary are acquainted pinch these scams and will guideline you connected adjacent steps. It’s besides wise to person a backup scheme (like knowledge of adjacent hotels aliases an other in installments card) erstwhile you arrive, conscionable successful case.
13. Use nan Platform’s Safety Tools: Airbnb now marks immoderate listings arsenic “Verified” (with a badge) aft in-person aliases ID verification – these mightiness beryllium safer choices[106]. They besides let installment payments via their strategy (to debar ample upfront outlays). Use features for illustration unafraid messaging and do not return conversations offline. Read nan information guidelines each level provides. For instance, Airbnb’s tract has a conception connected “Scam alert: really to make judge a listing is real” pinch tips akin to nan above[107]. Familiarize yourself pinch these earlier booking successful an unfamiliar destination.
14. Trust Your Instincts: Finally, if thing astir a booking acquisition feels “off” – an inconsistency successful photos, a pushy host, a woody excessively perfect, aliases unit to determine quickly – listen to your gut. Scammers often trust connected creating mendacious urgency (e.g. “10 different group are looking astatine this, book now!” aliases “Wire maine nan deposit coming aliases you’ll suffer nan reservation.”). Take your clip to do owed diligence. A morganatic big will understand your caution; a scammer will unreserved you. As recreation writer Wendy Perrin says, “If your soul siren bells ring, salary attraction – a legit rental will guidelines up to scrutiny, a scam will crumble.”

By pursuing these steps, visitors tin greatly trim nan risk of falling unfortunate to a clone rental scam. The extremity is to bask your picnic pinch bid of mind. While nan immense mostly of Airbnb and booking level stays spell smoothly, nan effect of moreover a mini percent of scams is severe. Awareness and be aware are your champion allies. As Airbnb itself advises: “Never salary off-platform, and if thing seems wrong, scope retired to america immediately”[102]. In nan unfortunate arena you do get scammed, study it to nan level and section constabulary – not only to activity refunds, but to thief forestall others from being victimized by nan aforesaid fraudster.

Conclusion

The emergence of clone Airbnb listings successful Europe has been a sobering downside to nan short-term rental boom. Paris, Rome, Prague and galore different cities person witnessed tourists’ dream vacations turning into distressing ordeals owed to fraudulent accommodation offers. The operation of precocious recreation demand, integer booking convenience, and crafty scammers created a cleanable large wind by 2024–2025. However, this situation is spurring affirmative changes: governments are instituting smarter regulations, platforms are deploying amended safeguards, and travelers themselves are becoming much informed astir nan risks.

Moving forward, continued collaboration is key. Platforms for illustration Airbnb must stay vigilant – utilizing exertion and quality reappraisal to spot fakes, and responding quickly erstwhile scams are reported. Local authorities request to enforce laws that punish scammers and guarantee only legal, vetted rentals are marketed. Perhaps astir importantly, travelers should attack online bookings pinch a patient caution, doing their homework earlier clicking “Reserve.” By sharing stories of scams and really they operate, nan media and user groups thief inoculate nan nationalist against falling for them.

Even arsenic nan “fake Airbnb epidemic” is addressed, scammers whitethorn displacement strategies aliases target caller platforms. The conflict against fraud is an ongoing cat-and-mouse game. Yet nan dream is that pinch greater consciousness and robust measures successful place, nan prevalence of these scams will diminish, restoring assurance successful nan sharing-economy lodging experience. Tourists tin past book unsocial homes and apartments overseas – 1 of nan joys Airbnb introduced – without fearfulness of being stranded.

In summary, if you’re readying a trip: be smart, enactment safe, and happy travels. Europe’s wonders await, and by taking nan precautions outlined above, you tin debar nan scam pitfalls and attraction connected making awesome memories alternatively of costly mistakes.Sources: Fake listing scam reports and information (Paris Olympic fraud cases[15][17]; Italy Polizia Postale stats[3]; ACCC/Booking.com scam stats[6]; Airbnb research[108][8]), unfortunate stories (Le Figaro[16]; Sky TG24[18][20]; Guardian Money[21]; ABC News Australia[29]), scam techniques (Guardian 2016 report[30][31]; Expats.cz Czech constabulary warning[33][5]; Idealista/Polizia guide[36]), Airbnb statements and actions (Guardian Money[46]; Rentalscaleup[50]; AP News[14]; Airbnb Italy guide[11]), section authorities actions (Euronews[62][63]; Reuters[84]; Expats.cz Prague law[12][13]), and avoidance tips (Idealista[51][52]; Czech Police via Expats[35]; Abbac/Polizia tips[37]).[1][19][32][73]