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 across Europe, leaving tourists in Paris, Rome, and Prague stranded after booking nonexistent apartments. Victims, often lured by too-good-to-be-true deals, paid upfront via bank transfers or through phishing sites mimicking Airbnb or Booking.com. In Paris, tourists during the 2024 Olympics arrived to find addresses didn’t exist; in Rome, dozens were tricked by fake hosts using stolen listings; Prague police warned of AI-generated scams and cloned websites. Common fraud tactics included off-platform payments, fake customer support, and AI-crafted profiles with fabricated reviews. Airbnb responded by removing 59,000 fake listings, blocking thousands more, and launching fraud detection AI and user education campaigns. Local governments imposed stricter rules: Paris introduced €100,000 fines and night limits, Rome worked with cyber-police, and Prague implemented a registration system. The epidemic expanded beyond these cities, affecting Barcelona, Lisbon, and the Canary Islands. To avoid scams, experts urge tourists to book only on official platforms, avoid wire transfers, verify host profiles, and trust their instincts.

Surge in Airbnb Rental Scams: 2024–2025 Data

Verified reports indicate that fake rental scams have risen sharply across Europe since 2024. In Paris, for example, police opened 11 investigations into lodging scams during the summer 2024 Olympics[1]. Italian authorities have noted a nationwide uptick as well – the Postal Police handled about 19,000 online vacation booking fraud cases in 2024, a 14% increase over the previous year[2][3]. Many of these involved fake apartment listings targeting tourists in cities like Rome. Meanwhile, the Czech Police warned in late 2024 of a “new wave of online fraud” in accommodation bookings, recording scam incidents across the country (including Prague) and urging travelers to be vigilant[4][5].

To illustrate the scale, Australia’s Scamwatch program (ACCC) reported a 600% surge in accommodation booking scams in 2023 (363 reports mentioning Booking.com, up from 53 in 2022)[6]. Booking.com’s own safety chief noted travel-related phishing and fake listing scams rose “500–900% in 18 months” by 2024, driven partly by AI-generated fakes[7]. Airbnb’s internal research found that victims of rental scams lose on average £1,937 each – underscoring the significant financial damage[8]. Table 1 summarizes some key figures from 2024–2025:

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

Victims Left Stranded: Real Examples

Behind these statistics are countless personal tragedies. Tourists who fell for fake listings often only discover the truth upon arrival – with no place to stay. A few illustrative cases from 2024–2025:

• Paris (Summer 2024): During the Olympic Games, a couple from Morocco paid €2,400 via a “listing” on Booking.com for a weeklong apartment near the Champs-Élysées. When they tried contacting the host ahead of arrival, he vanished – their money was gone and no rental was actually available[15]. In a similar case, the director of an Albanian sports team lost €1,800 on a nonexistent rental in Le Marais; the host became unreachably absent[16]. And on the Olympic opening day, a Japanese visitor arrived at an address in suburban Paris only to discover “with stupefaction” that the flat did not exist – the address was actually a student residence, unrelated to any Airbnb[17]. Each of these visitors was left scrambling for last-minute lodging in an overbooked city.
• Italy (August 2025): In the beach town of Jesolo, Italy, more than 40 holiday-goers fell victim to an elaborate scam on Booking.com[18]. A fake listing for a three-room holiday flat (advertised at a too-good-to-be-true €600 for six nights in peak season) tricked dozens of tourists. Four friends from Treviso recounted how the “host,” an “Alessandra,” convinced them by phone to pay a 50% deposit via bank transfer – supposedly to avoid platform fees[19]. Upon arrival, they found the apartment address (Via Berlino 15/17) was fictitious and the phone number dead. Asking around, they realized scores of other people were showing up looking for the same phantom flat[20]. The local police received a flood of complaints and eventually had the fake listing removed, but not before many travelers were left stranded with nowhere to go.
• General “Nightmare” Scams: The Guardian reports that unlucky travelers across Europe have been “left stranded at night in strange cities” when their booked Airbnb turned out to be a scam[21]. In one case, a German family with children arrived in London only to find the promised apartment didn’t exist – a fraudulent listing had taken their payment[22]. In Barcelona, a group found themselves locked out when a key safe was empty – the “host” had double-booked and disappeared, and they had to pay for a hotel that night[23]. In another incident, an Airbnb guest in Provence, France found the home dangerously unsafe and had to vacate, but the host and platform initially refused a refund[24][25]. These stories highlight how fake or misrepresented rentals can quickly turn holidays into costly nightmares. As one victim put it, “We had nowhere to go and no one would help – it was traumatizing.”

Even outside Europe, the pattern is similar: owners of a Sunshine Coast B&B in Australia were stunned when four different groups of strangers arrived at their door in July 2024, all claiming to have reservations via Booking.com[26][27]. Scammers had stolen the property’s details (photos, descriptions, even the owners’ names) from an old Airbnb profile and created two fake listings on Booking.com[28]. Those guests had entered their credit card info on the fraudulent site and received “confirmations,” only to discover on arrival that the listing was bogus. “We had a couple crying because they were so devastated,” the owner said[29]. Such anecdotes underscore the emotional toll on victims – families sleeping in train stations or paying exorbitant last-minute hotel rates – and the erosion of trust in online booking platforms.

How These Scams Work: Common Techniques

Scammers have developed sophisticated tactics to create fake Airbnb listings and defraud travelers. Below are some of the most common scam techniques observed in 2024–2025, and how they operate:

• Clone Websites & Phishing Links: A prevalent method is to impersonate Airbnb or other rental sites with lookalike websites or emails. Fraudsters copy genuine listings and build a spoofed website that looks nearly identical to Airbnb’s, often including a fake “Airbnb” URL and even a live chat feature to seem legit[30][31]. Victims are typically lured off the real Airbnb platform – for instance, the fake listing might instruct you to “email the host directly to check availability,” then send you a booking link via email[32]. Unwitting travelers enter payment details on the phony site, which sends their money straight to the scammers. In one case, an experienced Airbnb user from London was tricked by a fake Airbnb homepage after exchanging emails; she transferred £787 to what she thought was Airbnb’s account, only to later learn the entire site was a fraud[31]. Similarly, in Czechia a family received an email (seemingly from Booking.com) warning their hotel reservation was at risk and asking to reconfirm payment – the phishing link led to a perfect clone of the real site. The email had no obvious red flags and even included accurate booking details, nearly fooling them into entering credit card info[33][5]. (Fortunately, their bank blocked the transaction in time[34].) These scams rely on the traveler not noticing a subtle URL change or security certificate issue. Always double-check the website domain (e.g. Airbnb.com or Booking.com) before logging in or paying – if it’s not the official site, it’s a scam[35].
• Off-Platform Payment Lures: Many fake-listing scams succeed by diverting communication and payment off the official platform, thereby voiding any protections. The scammer, posing as a host, will convince the guest to pay via bank transfer, PayPal, or another method “to avoid fees” or secure a special discount. On Airbnb, they might claim technical issues with the payment system and ask you to wire money directly. In Jesolo, Italy, the fraudulent Booking.com host “Alessandra” did exactly this – persuading travelers to pay 50% up front via bank bonifico (transfer), thus bypassing Booking’s payment system[19]. Once the money was sent to the scammer’s account, the listing and profile vanished, and Booking.com had no obligation to refund since the payment was made off-platform. Never pay a host outside the official booking channel: Airbnb’s policy is that all payment and communication should stay on their platform[36]. If someone asks you to “pay a deposit” by bank transfer or “settle via WhatsApp/email link,” it’s almost certainly a scam. Legitimate hosts will not risk their status by requesting off-platform payments. Airbnb notes that when you pay through their site, funds are not released to hosts until 24 hours after check-in – a safeguard you lose if you go offline[37]. In short, if you leave the platform, you leave behind its protections[38].
• Stolen Listings & Fake Profiles: Rather than invent a property from scratch, scammers often steal photos and descriptions from real listings to create convincing fake ones. They may copy a well-reviewed listing in the same city, but alter contact info or pricing. For example, the Sunshine Coast case involved scammers lifting all content from an Airbnb and making two bogus Booking.com pages for a property the real owners were still running[28]. Some scammers hijack dormant or hacked host accounts to appear credible. Increasingly, AI-generated content is supercharging this tactic: scammers can produce realistic images of apartments that don’t exist, or create fictional “superhosts” with AI-generated profile pictures and hundreds of autogenerated 5-star “reviews.” According to Airbnb’s research with Get Safe Online, nearly two-thirds of travelers (in the UK sample) “struggle to tell AI-generated property images apart from real ones.” Over one-third actually mistook fake images for genuine photos when tested[39]. By using AI to fabricate scenic apartment photos and even placeholder guest reviews, scammers make their fake listings look polished and authentic[40]. Travelers should be wary of brand-new listings with professional-looking photos but no track record, or profiles that joined very recently with dozens of generic rave reviews (often a sign of bots or reciprocal reviewing rings). If a listing seems “too perfect” or the host’s profile photo looks oddly computer-generated, trust your gut and investigate further[41].
• Bait-and-Switch or Double-Booking Scams: Not all scams involve a completely nonexistent home – some involve deceit around availability. In a bait-and-switch, a scammer might advertise an attractive property (often copied from a real listing), then after you book, they claim that place is unavailable and offer a substitute – usually an inferior property or different location that you otherwise would never pay that price for. By the time you realize the switch, it’s hard to get a refund, especially if you’ve arrived and have limited options. Another variation involves multiple bookings: a corrupt host lists one apartment on multiple platforms and knowingly double-books guests for the same dates. The extra guests who show up may be told there was a mistake and no room for them. This happened to a traveler in London – he arrived to find the key safe empty and the host admitted they were abroad and had no alternative, leaving him out on the street at midnight[23]. He had to pay £123 for a hotel that night and struggled for months to get Booking.com to reimburse him[42]. Rental scammers count on the fact that travelers are often abroad, tired, and on a tight schedule, making them more likely to accept a bad alternative or be unable to pursue legal action. Always read recent guest reviews for any hints of double-booking or last-minute switches. If multiple guests mention “the host moved us to a different apartment” or “listing was not as advertised,” steer clear. And if you find yourself in a bait-and-switch scenario, report it to the platform immediately – under Airbnb’s AirCover policy, if a listing is fraudulent or unavailable on check-in, Airbnb is supposed to help find you similar accommodation or refund you[43].
• Fake “Customer Service” Interception: A newer scam involves criminals impersonating Airbnb or Booking customer support to intervene when a guest encounters trouble – only to scam them further. For instance, if you post on social media about a bad Airbnb experience, you might get a direct message from someone posing as Airbnb support with a link to “resolve” the issue, which is actually a phishing link. Or if you’re on a fake website and click a support chat, you’re chatting with the scammer. In the sophisticated Amsterdam scam case, the victim was even directed to a phony Airbnb live chat where an “agent” reassured her the booking was confirmed – that chat was entirely run by the scammers on their fake site[44]. Genuine Airbnb or Booking staff will never ask for your password or payment info via email or chat – all real resolution of issues happens within the official app/website or by you contacting them first through published support channels. If you receive unsolicited “support” communications after a booking, be very cautious. Verify by contacting the platform’s official customer service number or account yourself.

In summary, fake listing scams exploit travelers’ trust and the urgency of travel planning. The golden rules to remember: stay on the platform for all payments and messaging[36], be skeptical of deals that look unbelievably cheap for the location/season[45], double-check URLs and profiles, and don’t be rushed into circumventing normal booking procedures. In the next sections, we’ll see how Airbnb is responding and what authorities are doing to combat these scams.

Airbnb’s Response and Statements

Airbnb, as a company, has acknowledged the issue of fake listings and has taken steps to restore trust. In late 2023, Airbnb publicly stated it was cracking down harder on fraud. It reported removing 59,000 fake listings and blocking 157,000 suspicious listings from joining the platform in 2023 alone[14]. The company emphasizes that while fake listings do appear, they represent a tiny fraction of overall bookings – and most scams can be avoided by following Airbnb’s safety guidelines[46].

“The good news is, fake listings are rare. All you need to do to protect yourself is to stay on the Airbnb platform throughout the entire process,” Airbnb advised in a 2024 statement, underscoring that keeping all payment and communication within Airbnb is the best defense[46]. “Airbnb protects hosts and guests by handling all payment and communication through our secure platform. When you keep your details secure and payment strictly on Airbnb, payments are accurate and your account is secure.” If a guest does encounter a fake listing scam, Airbnb says it will support them: in the Amsterdam case, after initially refusing help (because the guest paid off-platform), Airbnb later provided a full refund and a £500 coupon as a goodwill gesture when pressed by media[25]. A spokesperson admitted the handling of that case “fell short of our usual high standards”[47].

Fraud detection upgrades: Airbnb has invested in more advanced AI-driven fraud detection tools in 2024–2025 to spot fake listings quicker. The platform now automatically scans for suspiciously “perfect” new listings (e.g. those with glossy images, ultra-low prices, and recently created host accounts)[48]. It also uses behavior analysis and risk scoring – for example, flagging if a brand-new host account suddenly gets a high volume of bookings or if a guest account tries to book an unusually long stay from a faraway location[49]. Airbnb claims these measures are yielding results: in 2024, their systems detected and blocked over 3,200 phishing websites that were impersonating Airbnb[50]. Each of those fake domains could have tricked multiple travelers, so shutting them down protects many users. The company has also been working with domain registrars and browsers to more quickly identify and take down fake Airbnb sites.

Airbnb has issued public warnings to educate travelers. In mid-2025, Airbnb partnered with online safety groups to warn holidaymakers of an increase in AI-generated rental scams, noting that a significant portion of people cannot distinguish AI-faked rental photos from real ones[39]. They highlighted the statistic that scam bookings were costing UK victims ~£1,937 on average[8] and urged users to remain vigilant about off-platform payment requests. In Italy, Airbnb went as far as collaborating with the Polizia Postale (Postal Police) on an information campaign. In July 2024, Airbnb Italy and the cyber-police unit published an 8-point “decalogue” guide on avoiding vacation rental scams[11]. This guide (circulated via news outlets and social media) echoed many of the tips we’ve discussed: verify the website URL, never pay by wire transfer, be wary of unrealistically low prices, communicate only through the platform, read reviews, etc.[51][52]. By joining forces with law enforcement in spreading these tips, Airbnb acknowledged that preventing scams is a shared responsibility – the platform can tighten security, but guests also must exercise caution.

On the customer service front, Airbnb and similar platforms faced criticism for slow or insufficient responses to scam incidents. Travelers often complain that platforms initially refuse refunds by pointing to policies (especially if any off-platform interaction occurred)[53]. However, under public and regulatory pressure, Airbnb has improved its remediation promises. Its AirCover protection (launched in 2022) pledges that if you arrive and your rental is bogus, unsafe, or not as advertised, Airbnb will find you a “comparable or better home” or refund you[43]. In practice there have been gaps – e.g. the Provence case where Airbnb support sent “10 weeks of auto-generated messages” before media intervention got a refund[54] – but the company says such failures are exceptions. It has been training support staff to recognize scam reports and act faster. When Guardian Money brought several nightmare cases to Airbnb and Booking.com’s attention in late 2025, both companies did belatedly refund those customers[55]. Airbnb insists that fraudulent listings violate its terms and that it removes them when reported – though some guests have voiced frustration that clearly fake listings sometimes remain online too long or reappear under new names[56].

Airbnb has also urged local governments not to simply blame or ban the platform, but to work with them on solutions. As scams and illegal rentals drew regulatory heat (as in Spain’s probe of Airbnb in 2024), Airbnb defended itself, noting that it is “an open platform subject to the Digital Services Act, with no general obligation to monitor listings”, and that it relies on hosts to follow local laws[57]. The company says it cooperates with authorities on specific fraud investigations and often provides data to help identify culprits. For example, Airbnb has reportedly assisted French police in some of the Olympic housing scam cases by sharing account info of scam hosts (when legally compelled). Overall, Airbnb’s public stance is that education + technology is the best way to combat fake listings. They encourage users to “report suspicious listings or messages” immediately so that those can be investigated and taken down[58]. As 2025 progresses, Airbnb is under growing pressure to prove that it can effectively police its platform – both to protect consumers and to satisfy regulators who worry about the proliferation of scams and illegal rentals.

Local Government Crackdowns: Paris, Rome, and Prague

City and national authorities in Europe’s tourist centers are taking action to address fake listings and related short-term rental abuses. Paris, Rome, and Prague have each launched initiatives in 2024–2025 to better regulate Airbnb-style rentals – aiming to protect travelers from scams and residents from other negative impacts.

• Paris, France: Paris has been at the forefront of strict short-term rental regulation. In November 2024, the Paris city government rolled out a major crackdown, backed by a new French law empowering cities to rein in platforms like Airbnb[59][60]. Key measures (effective January 1, 2025) include: steep fines up to €100,000 for hosts who operate illegal rentals without registering or who fake the mandatory registration number[61]. Even concierge agencies that manage multiple Airbnbs can be fined €100,000 if they are found “complicit in fraud” by helping list unlicensed flats[62]. Paris also plans to lower the annual cap on nights a property can be rented short-term from 120 to 90 nights/year (similar to limits in London)[63]. Exceeding that can incur fines around €15,000 and potential legal action[64]. Moreover, from 2025 Paris can force platforms to remove listings lacking a valid registration; hosts who don’t take down such ads face fines of €50,000[65][66]. The goal is to purge “ghost hotels” and fake listings from the marketplace. By late 2024, Paris had roughly 95,000 Airbnb listings – but about 20% were estimated to be unlicensed and thus illegal[9][10]. City inspectors (the “bureau of civic action”) have been ramping up enforcement by doing door-to-door checks on suspected illegal Airbnbs[67]. The Paris police, too, have been active: the Brigade de Répression de la Délinquance Astucieuse (a financial crime unit) specifically investigated the Olympic fake-housing scams, which led to at least 11 cases being opened as of August 2024[1]. Paris authorities have issued public warnings, especially as the city prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games influx – urging visitors only to use registered accommodations and beware of deals that are “too attractive to be real” during the high-demand period[68]. This multifaceted crackdown not only helps protect tourists from scams, but also addresses residents’ complaints that uncontrolled Airbnb growth drives up rents and hollow out neighborhoods. Paris’s deputy mayor for housing has stated that these measures are meant to “restore balance”: legitimate home-sharers can operate under the rules, but scammers and illegal operators will be hit with heavy penalties.
• Rome & Italy: In Italy, responsibility for curbing rental scams is shared between national agencies and city officials. While Rome hasn’t enacted city-specific Airbnb bans, the Italian government and police have increased oversight of vacation rentals. The Italian Postal Police (Polizia Postale) track online fraud trends and in 2024 they explicitly cited vacation rental scams as a growing problem, especially in tourist cities like Rome, Venice, and Florence[69][70]. As mentioned, ~18–19k online booking scams were reported in 2024, and total losses to online fraud in Italy jumped 32% to €181 million[71][72]. To combat this, Italian authorities launched public awareness drives (such as the Airbnb-backed guide in July 2024) and urged travelers to use only reputable platforms. Consumer protection agencies in Italy (like Codacons) have been vocal, advising tourists to double-check that any private rental has an official license number and to use credit cards for payment (for chargeback rights)[73]. At the policy level, Italy in 2023 passed a law requiring all short-term rental hosts to register with the local police and report guest identities (mainly a security measure, but it also helps create a record of legitimate operators). In 2024, Italy’s Parliament debated further rules, such as a minimum two-night stay in cities to discourage party rentals, and a ban on anonymous key exchanges via outdoor lockboxes[74]. By mid-2025, the Italian government also reached a fiscal agreement with Airbnb, requiring the platform to collect tourist taxes and share listing data with tax authorities – a move aimed in part at identifying illegal or fake listings[75][76]. Rome’s city council welcomed these steps, as Rome suffers from an abundance of under-the-radar vacation rentals. In summer 2025, Italian media highlighted scam cases of tourists in Rome being asked to pay large “deposits” in advance for apartments that turned out to be non-existent, prompting Rome’s tourism department to collaborate with police on issuing scam alerts to incoming tourists (e.g. via airport info screens and hotel associations). While exact scam counts in Rome are not published, anecdotal evidence suggests a rise – especially with Rome hosting big events (Jubilee 2025 is upcoming). The bottom line in Italy: authorities are tightening the legal framework (for instance, a new decree in early 2025 lets apartment condo boards in cities like Rome more easily ban short-term rentals in their buildings[77][78]), and law enforcement is actively busting scam rings. In one operation, Naples police arrested suspects who had built fake travel websites mimicking well-known brands and were advertising Rome apartments at bargain rates to steal deposits[79][80]. Italy’s message to tourists is to be cautious and stick to known platforms – and they’ve enlisted Airbnb itself in spreading that message.
• Prague, Czech Republic: Prague, another hugely popular destination, has similarly struggled with an overload of short-term rentals and attendant scams. In 2024, Prague officials pushed for new powers to control Airbnb-style lettings. By August 2024, the Czech national government approved a draft law that would allow cities to set limits on short-term rentals in their jurisdictions[12]. Prague’s city council and the Mayor of Prague 1 (the historic center) were strong advocates of this law. The measure, expected to be in force by 2025, lets local authorities cap the number of days per year an apartment can be rented to tourists and even restrict the floor area or number of rooms that can be used for short-term rentals in a building[12][81]. Essentially, Prague wants the ability to say, for example, “in the Old Town, you can only rent your flat 60 days a year” – to prevent quasi-hotel operations. The law also introduces an electronic registration system called “e-Turista,” where all hosts must register and obtain a unique ID for each listing, to be displayed on the platform[13]. This will help Prague identify illegal or fake listings (if a listing has no registration ID, authorities can order it removed). In parallel, Prague has increased the collection of tourist fees and is hiring more inspectors to enforce housing laws. The Prague Police have been alerting the public about scams too. In a November 2024 statement, a police spokesperson noted that scams were “not only via platforms through which accommodation is booked, but also via offers of longer-term rentals”, indicating fraudsters target both tourists and locals[4]. The police highlighted cases where scammers hacked real hotel or host accounts to send fake payment requests (as discussed earlier), and they advised travelers to “check the URL and if it doesn’t end in ‘Airbnb.com’ or ‘Booking.com,’ it’s likely a scam”[35]. Prague’s city government also launched an informational website in multiple languages for visitors, warning of common tourist scams (from street pickpockets to fake accommodation) – urging people to use licensed lodging providers and report any suspected fraud immediately. Public sentiment in Prague is heavily in favor of clamping down: a local survey found 62% of residents want Airbnb completely banned in the city center, due to both nuisance issues and scams, while only 16% think it should operate freely[82]. In response, Prague’s leaders have signaled that if the national law doesn’t adequately stem the problems, they might pursue even stricter municipal bylaws.

In all three cities, the authorities’ actions send a clear signal: illegal and fake rentals are unwelcome. Heavy fines, mandatory registration, night limits, and cooperation with platforms on enforcement are becoming the norm. These efforts not only protect locals’ housing and quality of life but also indirectly protect tourists by weeding out some of the sketchier actors who facilitate scams. However, scammers are adaptable and often operate across jurisdictions, so cities are also sharing information regionally. (For instance, Paris officials have consulted with counterparts in Barcelona and Amsterdam on fighting fraudulent listings, given those cities’ prior experience.) This leads to the broader European context of the issue.

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

Fake Airbnb listings and rental scams have proliferated in numerous European cities, especially top tourist destinations, over the past two years. It’s truly a Europe-wide epidemic, intersecting with debates on over-tourism and housing. Here are some broader trends and notable developments:

• Spain: Spain has been hit hard by fraudulent holiday rental schemes. Barcelona, Madrid, and coastal resort areas have seen both organized scam rings and a glut of illegal rentals. In 2024, Spain’s Consumer Affairs Ministry launched a major investigation into Airbnb for allegedly failing to remove tens of thousands of unlicensed listings[83][84]. Over the summer of 2024, the ministry ordered the platform to take down listings deemed “illegal advertising” (those without the required tourism licence number) – when many remained online, the government opened a disciplinary case that could fine Airbnb up to €100,000 for non-compliance[84][85]. Airbnb disputes the charges, but the message was clear that Spain is cracking down. Municipalities are also acting: Barcelona took the dramatic step in June 2024 of announcing a total ban on short-term private room rentals by 2028 (allowing only licensed hotels and hostels)[86]. The Barcelona mayor blamed holiday rentals for housing shortages and noted enforcement is tough – indeed, even in 2025, illegal listings persist, some of them outright scams with false license numbers. Other Spanish cities like Valencia, Seville, and the Canary Islands region have introduced stricter registration requirements and empowered local police units to raid unauthorized rentals[87][88]. A striking example: in Tenerife, a woman was renting out her building’s rooftop as a makeshift campground on Airbnb for €12 a night – after a neighbor’s complaint, local police raided and shut it down in early 2024[87]. This shows how inventive (and brazen) some scams have become. In tourist-heavy parts of Spain, activists have plastered neighborhoods with stickers and graffiti protesting Airbnb. In Madrid, signs reading “Airbnb go home!” or “My neighborhood is not for sale” are common sights[89][90]. These protests are not just about housing – they implicitly highlight that many “Airbnb” listings are unregulated and some are traps for tourists. In August 2025, Spanish media reported several British and German tourists arriving in Ibiza and Mallorca to find the villas they booked simply didn’t exist – scammers had used stolen photos of luxury homes. The Balearic Islands government since set up a task force with police and banks to monitor large transfer payments going to suspected scammers. In short, Spain is moving aggressively: new laws, enforcement sweeps, and public awareness campaigns (often warning tourists in multiple languages).
• UK & Northern Europe: The UK has seen its share of Airbnb-related scams, though domestic travelers tend to be less impacted than international tourists. Nevertheless, British media in 2025 carried stories of UK tourists stranded in foreign cities after falling for fake rental listings. For example, a family from England arrived in the south of France in summer 2025 to find their villa booking was fake – they ended up paying thousands for new lodging and described the experience as “a nightmare scam” in the press. The UK’s national fraud reporting center has logged a rise in holiday booking scams, and groups like Which? have pressured platforms to improve. A 2022–2023 Which? investigation found that on Booking.com, even when many users reported a listing as a scam, it sometimes “was not removed” promptly[91][92]. By 2025, Booking.com said it had upgraded filters and reminded users to sort reviews by date to catch recent scam warnings[93][94]. In the Netherlands, aside from the Dutch police bust mentioned earlier (a man who rented Airbnb homes then “sublet” them fraudulently to 17 victims)[95][96], cities like Amsterdam have long fought illegal listings. Amsterdam already limits vacation rentals to 30 nights/year and requires registration; even so, scammers find ways around (such as using a registered listing as bait to direct victims to an off-platform deal for more nights than allowed). Germany and Scandinavia have reported fewer fake listing cases, possibly due to stricter rental laws and lower tolerance for off-platform dealings. However, there have been cases in Berlin (a city with a past ban on most short-term flats) where visitors booked apartments that turned out to be illegal sublets shut down by authorities – leaving the guests with nowhere to stay and difficulty getting refunds. Essentially, even well-intentioned regulation can cause “accidental scams” if a listing is live but gets banned by the city right before a guest arrives[97][98]. Berlin in 2016 famously banned short-term rentals of whole apartments, which caused many listings to vanish, but also confusion for travelers; enforcement later softened, but Berlin continues to police unregistered Airbnbs and fine hosts heavily.
• Other Hotspots: Cities like Barcelona, Lisbon, Dubrovnik, Prague, Krakow, and Athens – anywhere tourism surged post-pandemic – have reported scam incidents. In Eastern Europe, fewer cases make international news, but local forums show complaints of fake listings in popular destinations (e.g. a fake “luxury apartment in Kraków Old Town” that duped several visitors via a clone website in 2024). Budapest police in 2025 warned of Facebook groups where scammers advertise non-existent vacation flats, sometimes using language barriers to their advantage. Croatia in 2023 passed regulations to control rampant unlicensed rentals on its coast, and by 2024 was inspecting and shutting down dozens of fake villa listings that had proliferated on international booking sites. This shows that from the Nordic countries to the Mediterranean, the fake rental scam issue transcends borders.

A contributing factor to the Europe-wide epidemic is the post-COVID travel boom combined with housing shortages. Tourist demand rebounded strongly in 2022–2023, and many travelers sought Airbnbs for space and privacy. Scammers seized the opportunity of high demand (and sometimes limited supply) to offer “great deals” that pressured people to act quickly. Additionally, Generative AI technology became widely accessible, enabling criminals to create convincing multilingual scam content at scale[7]. A fake listing can be spun up in English, French, Spanish, etc., reaching a broad victim pool. Europol (the EU police agency) in 2025 highlighted holiday rental scams in its cybercrime reports, noting cross-border operations where, say, a scammer in Country A targets tourists from Country B for properties in Country C. This complexity makes enforcement tricky – a traveler might report the crime in their home country, which has to coordinate with foreign police. Despite this, law enforcement collaboration is increasing. For instance, German and Spanish police teamed up in late 2024 to bust a group that had scammed over €5 million via fake Canary Islands villa rentals sold to German and British tourists (the scammers were based in Spain and Latvia).

Importantly, the platforms beyond Airbnb are also involved. Booking.com, Vrbo, TripAdvisor, and other accommodation sites have all had incidents of fake listings or account takeovers. Booking.com in particular saw that huge increase in phishing and scam reports[6]. The presence of fake listings on multiple platforms indicates that scammers are not picky – they will use whichever site or online channel they can infiltrate or mimic. In some cases, scammers don’t rely on major platforms at all, instead creating entire fake travel websites or social media pages. For example, French authorities during the Paris Olympic prep found over 300 fraudulent websites selling fake event tickets and fake accommodation, some using “Paris2024” in their URLs to appear official[99][100]. Tourists would sometimes find these via search engine ads or phishing emails. This shows the ecosystem of scams goes beyond just Airbnb itself, though Airbnb is often named symbolically since it’s the market leader in home rentals.

In summary, the fake Airbnb listing problem in 2024–2025 is truly pan-European. It intersects with issues of illegal rentals, over-tourism, and cybercrime. Public authorities across Europe are tightening regulations (from forcing registration numbers on listings to outright bans in some areas) and increasing penalties, while police pursue the criminal fraud aspect. The platforms are deploying better technology and cooperating more with investigators. But ultimately, awareness among travelers is one of the most effective defenses. In the final section, we present recommendations for tourists to avoid falling victim to these scams.

Tips for Tourists: How to Avoid Vacation Rental Scams

Travelers can take several precautions to protect themselves from fake Airbnb listings and similar frauds. Here are some key recommendations from experts, law enforcement, and consumer advocates:

1. Stick to Official Platforms and Verified Listings: Book accommodations through reputable websites (Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, etc.) and avoid engaging over email or social media for rentals. Do not trust listings from unsolicited emails, WhatsApp groups, or sketchy new websites. If you find a rental on a lesser-known site, see if the property is also on a major platform – if not, be cautious. Scammers often create standalone fake sites that look professional; always verify that the URL is the official company domain (for example, start at the official Airbnb app or type Airbnb.com yourself)[51][52]. Never enter login or payment info on a site whose URL you haven’t verified[35].
2. Keep All Payments and Communication on the Platform: This is the cardinal rule. Do not pay via bank transfer, wire, crypto, or direct PayPal to someone claiming to be a host. Airbnb and similar platforms have secure payment systems – use them. If a host asks you to “pay a deposit outside the site to secure the booking” or offers a discount for paying offline, refuse and report them[36][37]. Off-platform payment = no guarantee and likely a scam. Likewise, communicate using the platform’s messaging system. That way, all agreements are documented and the company can review them if there’s an issue. Platforms also mask personal emails and phone numbers until booking is complete; a host insisting on emailing before booking is a red flag. Remember, Airbnb withholds the host’s payout until 24 hours after check-in – giving you time to report problems[37]. If you pay directly, the money is gone instantly.
3. Be Wary of Unrealistic Deals: If a listing’s price is far below the going rate for that location and season, or it boasts luxury features for a bargain price, be skeptical. Scammers often lure victims with “too good to be true” deals[45]. During peak periods (holidays, festivals, Olympics), virtually no legitimate rentals will be deeply discounted. Compare prices of similar listings; if one is an extreme outlier, something may be off. Also, last-minute availability of a top-rated property at a low price is suspicious – high-demand rentals don’t suddenly open up cheap. This doesn’t mean affordable options aren’t out there, but use common sense. As the Paris police warned Olympic visitors: if the price looks unbelievably attractive for the location, it could be a scam[68]. Scammers know travelers are hunting for deals, so don’t let price alone sway you.
4. Check Host Profiles and Reviews Carefully: When using Airbnb or other platforms, scrutinize the host’s profile and the listing’s reviews:
5. Profile age and verification: Is the host new with no history? Scammers often use newly created accounts. Prefer hosts who have been on the platform a while and have verified ID or a history of other listings.
6. Reviews: Read past guest reviews in detail. Multiple detailed, recent reviews that consistently describe the property and host are a good sign. Be cautious if a listing has zero reviews or only generic short reviews (especially all posted around the same date – could be fake). If recent reviews mention any problems, cancellation, or inconsistency, take it seriously[101]. On Booking.com, sort by “newest” reviews to catch if people have flagged it as a scam recently[91].
7. Photos: Do a reverse image search of the listing’s photos. If those images appear on another site for a different property, you’ve likely spotted a scam. Scammers sometimes steal photos from real estate listings or other rentals.

8. Host communication: After booking, legitimate hosts typically respond promptly and helpfully. If a host becomes hard to reach after you pay, that’s concerning. One tip: send a question after booking (e.g. ask about check-in or the neighborhood). A scam host who has already taken your money might ghost you. Airbnb advises contacting support if a confirmed host doesn’t reply or the phone number is invalid[102].
9. Avoid External Links and Attachments: If you receive any message (email, text, DM) with a link to “view your booking” or “confirm payment details,” be extremely cautious. Phishing links can look identical to Airbnb/Booking sites. Instead of clicking, log in to your account through the official app or site to check on your reservation[103][104]. Similarly, don’t download strange PDF attachments claiming to be invoices or rental agreements unless you’re expecting them and have verified the sender. Scammers have sent fake “Airbnb invoice” PDFs laced with malware to harvest info. When in doubt, navigate to the platform yourself or call their customer support to ask if an email is legit. Airbnb has a page on how to spot fake emails – often the sender address or domain will be slightly off (e.g. “Airbnb-booking.com” instead of “Airbnb.com”)[35].
10. Use Secure Payment Methods: For added protection, use a credit card to book (not debit if possible). Credit cards often offer fraud protection or chargeback options if you do get scammed[73]. Never send cash or use wire transfer services like Western Union for a vacation rental. If using Airbnb, note that all payments should go through their system – you should not be asked by a host to, say, pay the cleaning fee in cash on arrival. Some scam hosts exploit newcomers by sending a fake Airbnb payment link or a counterfeit confirmation document. Double-check your reservation status in the official app; if it doesn’t show a confirmed booking, then any “confirmation” you received is fake.
11. Verify the Address and Existence of the Property: After booking, you’ll usually get the address. It can be smart to Google Street View the address (if available) to ensure it’s real and matches the photos. You can also search the address online – see if it corresponds to a hotel or another listing. In one scam, victims showed up to an address that turned out to be an office building, not a residence. If the address seems vague or you’re only given a host’s phone until meeting, insist on getting a specific address. For longer stays, some travelers have even asked the host to do a live video walk-through of the place before arrival – obviously not feasible for short holiday lets, but the principle is to confirm the place is real. Some cities (like Paris, Berlin) have databases of registered short-term rentals – checking a listing’s registration number (if provided) against city records can confirm legitimacy (or reveal a fake/invalid number)[105]. Lack of a required license ID is a red flag in those cities.
12. Stay Alert During Check-In: Even at arrival, keep your guard up. If a property looks significantly different from its listing or the host tries to move you to a different location on the spot, you have the right to refuse and contact the platform. For example, if you arrive and a neighbor says “that place isn’t an Airbnb” or you discover it’s a public building, document it with photos. Immediately call Airbnb’s customer support – they can often assist in finding alternative lodging (Airbnb claims 24/7 support for emergencies). On Booking.com, it’s trickier, but call their help center as soon as you suspect a fraud; demand they contact the host and, if no resolution, escalate for a refund. The sooner you alert the platform, the better. Do not hesitate to involve local authorities if you feel defrauded – filing a police report not only may help your refund case, it also puts the scam on record for investigation. In many European cities, police are familiar with these scams and will guide you on next steps. It’s also wise to have a backup plan (like knowledge of nearby hotels or an extra credit card) when you arrive, just in case.
13. Use the Platform’s Safety Tools: Airbnb now marks some listings as “Verified” (with a badge) after in-person or ID verification – these might be safer choices[106]. They also allow installment payments via their system (to avoid large upfront outlays). Use features like secure messaging and do not take conversations offline. Read the safety guidelines each platform provides. For instance, Airbnb’s site has a section on “Scam alert: how to make sure a listing is real” with tips similar to the above[107]. Familiarize yourself with these before booking in an unfamiliar destination.
14. Trust Your Instincts: Finally, if anything about a booking experience feels “off” – an inconsistency in photos, a pushy host, a deal too perfect, or pressure to decide quickly – listen to your gut. Scammers often rely on creating false urgency (e.g. “10 other people are looking at this, book now!” or “Wire me the deposit today or you’ll lose the reservation.”). Take your time to do due diligence. A legitimate host will understand your caution; a scammer will rush you. As travel writer Wendy Perrin says, “If your inner alarm bells ring, pay attention – a legit rental will stand up to scrutiny, a scam will crumble.”

By following these steps, tourists can greatly reduce the risk of falling victim to a fake rental scam. The goal is to enjoy your vacation with peace of mind. While the vast majority of Airbnb and booking platform stays go smoothly, the impact of even a small percentage of scams is severe. Awareness and caution are your best allies. As Airbnb itself advises: “Never pay off-platform, and if something seems wrong, reach out to us immediately”[102]. In the unfortunate event you do get scammed, report it to the platform and local police – not only to seek refunds, but to help prevent others from being victimized by the same fraudster.

Conclusion

The rise of fake Airbnb listings in Europe has been a sobering downside to the short-term rental boom. Paris, Rome, Prague and many other cities have witnessed tourists’ dream vacations turning into distressing ordeals due to fraudulent accommodation offers. The combination of high travel demand, digital booking convenience, and crafty scammers created a perfect storm by 2024–2025. However, this crisis is spurring positive changes: governments are instituting smarter regulations, platforms are deploying better safeguards, and travelers themselves are becoming more informed about the risks.

Moving forward, continued collaboration is key. Platforms like Airbnb must remain vigilant – using technology and human review to spot fakes, and responding rapidly when scams are reported. Local authorities need to enforce laws that punish scammers and ensure only legal, vetted rentals are marketed. Perhaps most importantly, travelers should approach online bookings with a healthy caution, doing their homework before clicking “Reserve.” By sharing stories of scams and how they operate, the media and consumer groups help inoculate the public against falling for them.

Even as the “fake Airbnb epidemic” is addressed, scammers may shift tactics or target new platforms. The fight against fraud is an ongoing cat-and-mouse game. Yet the hope is that with greater awareness and robust measures in place, the prevalence of these scams will diminish, restoring confidence in the sharing-economy lodging experience. Tourists can then book unique homes and apartments abroad – one of the joys Airbnb introduced – without fear of being stranded.

In summary, if you’re planning a trip: be smart, stay safe, and happy travels. Europe’s wonders await, and by taking the precautions outlined above, you can avoid the scam pitfalls and focus on making great memories instead of costly mistakes.Sources: Fake listing scam reports and data (Paris Olympic fraud cases[15][17]; Italy Polizia Postale stats[3]; ACCC/Booking.com scam stats[6]; Airbnb research[108][8]), victim 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 police warning[33][5]; Idealista/Polizia guide[36]), Airbnb statements and actions (Guardian Money[46]; Rentalscaleup[50]; AP News[14]; Airbnb Italy guide[11]), local government 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]