Holiday rental scams are in the news again after French authorities shut down a website suspected of listing dozens of fake short-term property rental ads.

The website – Rivierabudget.com – looked like a credible French holiday let website, according to reports. It offered rentals at attractive prices across the country, with a search engine, a straightforward reservations system, and a payment platform.

But would-be holidaymakers said that they have lost hundreds of euros each on their bookings through the site.

In reality, the images had been copied from legitimate sites, such as Airbnb and Abritel, and posted onto Rivierabudget.com without property owners’ permission or knowledge.

It even included a legal notice, which was stolen from a hotel in Nice. As a result, the property owners and hotel have filed complaints of identity theft.

The website has now been taken down, but this is far from an isolated scam. The phenomenon is on the rise and tends to accelerate as the holiday seasons approach.

So, how can you avoid falling for such scams?

A little detective work is necessary. As always, the advice involves being ever-vigilant by carefully checking the website, any emails, or notifications for inconsistencies that may reveal its fraudulent nature – such as the address of the sender, weird typography, or poor spelling.

David Rodrigues, the legal director of the National Association of Consumers told Franceinfo: “You have to be extremely wary (…) Learn find out about the website by searching for reviews on other forums, make sure that the payment is offered directly on the platform and not on a separate website, which could indicate a scam.

“Be careful with the wording of emails sent by landlords. When they contain many spelling mistakes, this could indicate a scam.”

Police also recommend checking the address of the holiday rental online, with the local mairie – who should have it listed – or by contacting the owner directly.

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If you think you have fallen victim to a scam or found a fraudulent listing:

The best place to get advice is the French government’s anti-scam website (www.cybermalveillance.gouv.fr).

The site has a ‘diagnostic tool’ where you can fill in a form explaining what has happened to you, for tailored advice depending on the kind of scam you have fallen victim to.

You can also report any suspicions about online operations to the Ma sécurité website. 

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Depending on the type of scam, that advice may include going to the police or gendarmerie to file a formal complaint. If you’re nervous about trying to navigate the policing system, you can call victim support service France Victimes on 116 006 (freephone) for help.

You can also report online scams or illegal content on the internet at Pharos, the government’s official portal for reporting illegal internet content.