Some of you may have heard stories of private accommodation rentals that don’t look the same in the photos, or worse, they don’t even exist. So, if you’re thinking of booking that rental in Hawaii, make sure you don’t get scammed. Don’t spend your money on the first lodging rental you find. Don’t be fooled by the most promising advertising or the most attractive image. If you want to protect your money while you enjoy the rest of your vacation stay, read on for some tips and advice.

First of all, work only with accredited and licensed agencies. These agencies can be found on the website of the accredited office of business practices. Generally, a reputable agency will post your address and phone number on their website. You may even want to ask them for their agency’s license number to check if they are real. Beware of those “anonymous” agencies; In a way, they may just be avoiding tax collectors. However, for your own peace of mind, stay away from these websites. Confirm if this agency guarantees the rental, and not only indicate the information of the owners on their website.

The next step is to find out where your reservation deposit is going. You should not send your deposit through any kind of money transfer system that cannot be traced back to a personal account. Another option is to pay by credit card or through PayPal; If a dispute ever occurs, you can easily get your funds back.

A smart customer knows that a binding contract is already a strong test against potential scams. Have the rental owner sign the contract as well and if you can afford the presence of a legal expert then that is much better. By preparing a contract in advance, rest assured that you can protect yourself against potential problems. In the worst case, you can go after the scammer and file the corresponding lawsuit.

Also, you should never make a reservation online. Keep in mind that nothing is safe in the virtual world. By calling and speaking directly to the person in charge of the rental, you are being prudent and cautious. In addition, by calling the person in charge, you are already verifying that the particular rental exists. Similarly, you can present your questions and other concerns to the person you are speaking with. Ask relevant questions such as when the rental business started, what is the background of the owners, and look for other references and references.

Again, you can never be too careful. Buy travel insurance for yourself. The more legal documents you have, the more protected and infallible you are.

The important thing is that you do your own research. You can Google the rental property and the property owner on the web. Unless the site is on the list of blocked properties, they will appear on the list of white pages. When rental accommodation owners provide you with their references and references, don’t forget to check them yourself.

It is unfortunate that many scammers use popular websites to take advantage of potential victims. Don’t let your guard down even if you are in front of the computer screen. Keep in mind that the virtual world is never safe. However, once you find that trustworthy rental property, enjoy your stay. Just spread this word and help others get out of harm’s way.