The administration of sitejabber.com informed me that more than 3700 visitors of the site read my revues about scams in area of hotels booking. From one side I pleased of such attention, from another I have sad feelings. So massive interest to the topic of hotel reservation scams shows that problem still exists and rises in the scale.
Im not a fighter, Im not a justice seeker, Im not burning with desire of revenge. I understand its almost impossible. So why continue to poisoning myself with such thoughts? In June my wife and me spend nice holiday on Malta in much better hotel that we were deceived at first attempt. Later in September we had excellent holiday in Benalmadena (Southern Spain) We almost forget our sour adventure with booking hotel on Malta. But not till the end.
Now Im more attentive while making bookings. Dont believe totally reviews you see on the site where you booking your hotel. They show you only bright cap of the iceberg and hide its darker underwater side. Their goal is to sell a product not showing its less pleasant sides. For example, I appreciate much Booking.com and I wrote near dozen reviews on hotels I booked through this site. They publish all positive except one that was bad. Same with all booking sites. So try to find reliable reviews on independent not obliged sites which not making bookings.
Beside attempts to keep my minds in peace Im still pay attention to the information about booking frauds. So I want to reveal some of my findings to the visitors of Sitejabber. To cut the long story short Im giving here some useful links about hotel booking frauds. While on holiday in Spain two month ago I found very interesting big article with all-speaking title Police warn of an increase in holiday accommodation fraud in the local newspaper Sur in English. Worth to read. Link: http://www.surinenglish.com/*******/news/costasol-malaga/police-warn-increase-holiday**************.html
The City of London Police published its own warning on holiday rentals frauds and tips how avoid it all. Link: https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/news-and-appeals/campaigns-and-initiatives/holidayfraud/Pages/default.aspx
Almost same but with some additional details in newspapers:
The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/*******/Police-warning-over-fake-holiday-villas.html
The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/jan/04/holiday-scams-travel-dangers-how-to-avoid-them
The Daily Mail (South of France): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-*******/Holiday-villa-fraud-thats-hit-countless-British-families-You-arrive-dream-villa-owners-never-heard-sent-cash-chillingly-plausible-conman.html
Information on hotels and villas reservation scams by some most popular holiday destinations:
Portugal: http://portugalresident.com/holiday-fraud-villa-villains
Holiday fraud: villa villains
Ibiza (Spain): http://www.hfmibiza.com/new-police-warning-about-rental-fraud/
Palm Beach (USA): http://www.wpbf.com/article/police-warn-of-scam-involving-vacation-rentals/*******
Wilmington (USA): http://www.foxwilmington.com/story/*******/police-warn-of-scam-increase-over-holidays
Be careful, be safe and have a nice holiday
Alexander