Vacation Rental Scams: How To Avoid Predatory Listings On Alabama's Gulf Coast
Key Takeaways Since 2020, people have reported nearly 65,000 rental scams to the FTC, totaling about $65 million in losses, with a median reported loss of $1,000 Scammers rely on a handful of repeatable tricks, including hijacked listings, payment redirection, and bait-and-switch substitutions after booking Pricing far below market rate, pressure to decide quickly, and any request for wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency payment are among the clearest warning signs of a scam A quick search of the rental address and owner name against public records can confirm whether a listing is legitimate before any money changes hands Booking a beach house along Alabama's Gulf Coast should feel exciting and secure. Rental scams have grown sharper and more convincing, and travelers searching for the perfect stay near Orange Beach or Gulf Shores need to know what to watch for before sending a deposit. Understanding the tricks scammers use, and taking a few simple verification steps, makes...