Event-Weekend Lodging: Spotting Rental Scams and Fake Listings

When a big game, festival or convention comes to town, places to stay fill up fast. That pressure is exactly what rental scammers count on. A listing near the venue at a good price, an owner who wants a deposit today, and a payment method you can't reverse: that combination can leave you at a locked door on the night before the event, with your money gone.

The Federal Trade Commission has published clear advice on vacation rental and travel scams. This guide walks through how those scams work, the checks that catch most fake listings, and how to pay so you have options if something goes wrong. The same advice applies whether you book through a big platform, a property manager or a private owner.

How rental scams work

The FTC describes two common patterns.

The first is a hijacked listing. Scammers copy the photos, description or virtual tour from a real rental listing, replace the contact information with their own, and post the copy on another site. When you call or email, you reach the scammer. The FTC notes that you may only find out when you show up and discover "that other people are also booked for the same property."

The second is a listing for a place that isn't for rent or doesn't exist. These ads may offer surprisingly low prices or amazing amenities. When you ask to see the property, the FTC says the fake owner will usually claim to be out of the country or give another excuse, and then rush you into a quick decision.

Either way, the scammer's goal is your deposit or rental payment, and sometimes your personal information. The FTC warns that some scammers ask for details like your Social Security number or a picture of your driver's license, which they can use to steal your identity.

Warning signs to watch for

The FTC's rental and travel scam guidance lists several red flags. On an event weekend, take them seriously:

• The price is far below comparable rentals. The FTC says below-market rent "can be a sign of a scam."
• You're pressured to decide right away. The FTC's advice: "If anyone pressures you to make a decision quickly, walk away."
• The owner can't or won't show the property and has an excuse for why not.
• The only accepted payment is a wire transfer, gift card, payment app or cryptocurrency. The FTC calls a demand to pay a vacation rental that way a scam, "every time."
• The same property appears in other ads with a different owner or company name.
• You find the home listed for sale rather than for rent.

Check the listing before you pay

A few minutes of research catches many fake listings. The FTC suggests:

1. Search online for the property's address along with the name of the owner or rental company. If other ads come up for the same address under a different name, that's a sign of a scam.
2. Go to the rental company's own website and see if the property is listed there too. If it isn't, the listing may be a scam.
3. Search the owner's or company's name with words like "complaint," "review" or "scam" to see what others have experienced.
4. Check that the address really exists. If the property is in a resort, call the resort's front desk and confirm the location and other details on the contract.
5. Get a copy of the contract, and of the cancellation and refund policies, before you send any deposit.

The FTC also points out that seeing a property in person, or through a video or virtual tour, is not a guarantee it's real or available. Scammers have copied listings from landlords who use self-guided tour services.

Keep the conversation where it started

One habit helps a lot: never give personal or financial information to someone who contacts you claiming to work with the owner or rental company. The FTC advises using contact information you already have to reach the owner or company instead.

If you booked through a platform, be wary of anyone who asks you to move the conversation or the payment somewhere else. That doesn't mean every off-platform message is a scam, but it's a good moment to stop and verify through the platform's official contact options. Platform rules and protections differ, so read the terms for the one you use.

Pay in a way you can dispute

The FTC is blunt about payment methods. Sending money by wire transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency "is the same as sending cash," and once it's sent you probably can't get it back. The FTC's travel advice puts payment apps on the same list: if someone says the only way to pay for a vacation rental is by wire transfer, gift card, payment app or cryptocurrency, that's a scam.

A credit card gives you more options. The FTC explains that the Fair Credit Billing Act provides a dispute process for billing errors on credit cards, including charges for things you didn't accept or that weren't delivered as agreed. Your dispute letter must reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first bill with the error was sent to you, at the address given for billing inquiries.

Compare the real price, not the teaser rate

Honest listings have also become easier to compare. Since May 12, 2025, the FTC's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees has required businesses that advertise short-term lodging, including vacation rentals and the platforms and travel agents that list them, to show the total price upfront. The FTC's examples say a vacation rental's required cleaning fee and a resort's mandatory resort fee must be included.

Taxes and other government charges can still be added later, as long as they're disclosed before you're asked to pay. If a listing's final price at checkout includes surprise mandatory fees you weren't shown upfront, that's worth noticing, and you can report suspected violations to the FTC.

If something goes wrong

If you spot a rental listing scam or think you've paid one, the FTC recommends reporting it to:

• Your local law enforcement agency.
• The website where the ad was posted.
• The FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• Your state attorney general.

If you paid by credit card, contact your card issuer right away. If you paid with a payment app, the FTC suggests reporting the problem to the app as well.

For example, imagine a hypothetical fan who finds a condo two blocks from the stadium for half the going rate. The owner says he's overseas, can't show it, and needs a gift card deposit within the hour. Every one of those details matches an FTC warning sign. The safe move is to walk away and keep looking.

Key takeaways

• Scammers copy real rental listings or invent fake ones, especially when demand is high.
• Below-market prices, pressure to decide fast and owners who can't show the property are red flags.
• Search the address and owner name, check the rental company's own site, and get the contract before paying.
• Never pay by wire transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency; a credit card gives you dispute rights.
• Report rental scams to local police, the listing site, ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general.

Sources

• Federal Trade Commission, Rental Listing Scams (June 2026)
• Federal Trade Commission, Avoid Scams When You Travel (September 2025)
• Federal Trade Commission, Mobile Payment Apps: How To Avoid a Scam When You Use One
• Federal Trade Commission, Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
• Federal Trade Commission, Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees: Frequently Asked Questions (May 2025)