From the book Go Well: A Summer Field Guide for Graduates and College Students · Updated October 2026
The Rental Scam Screen, booking rules, and the housing checklist.
How to spot a housing scam
Rental scams spike in summer, when demand is high and travelers are booking in a hurry. Here’s how the common ones work, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC):
- The hijacked listing: a scammer copies a real listing, changes the contact information, and reposts it (FTC).
- The fake listing: a place that isn’t for rent, or doesn’t exist at all.
- The “pay me directly” ask: the host asks you to move off the booking site to email or WhatsApp, or to pay by wire transfer, gift card, prepaid card, or a payment app.
Three rules that stop almost every scam:
- Book and pay only through the platform. Airbnb, for example, says it’s against its policy for hosts to ask you to communicate or book outside Airbnb before you book (Airbnb), and that all mandatory charges must appear in the price at checkout (Airbnb).
- Never pay by wire transfer, gift card, or prepaid card. The FTC says that if someone asks you to prepay for a rental with a gift card or prepaid debit card, it’s a scam (FTC).
- Search the address. Search the property address together with the listing name. If it shows up under a different name, a different price, or a different site, stop (FTC).
The Rental Scam Screen: 10 questions before you pay
If you answer “no” to any of these, slow down.
- Am I booking and paying through the website or app, not by email, text, or WhatsApp?
- Am I paying by credit card or through the platform, not by wire, gift card, prepaid card, or a payment app?
- Does the listing have recent reviews from real guests, dated within the last few months?
- Does the price look normal for the neighborhood and dates? (A summer price far below everything else is a warning sign.)
- Does a search of the address match this listing, with the same photos and name?
- Do the photos show the actual street or building, not just interiors?
- Is the host or property verified on the platform?
- Is the full price, including cleaning fees and taxes, shown before I pay?
- In a city with rental licensing (such as Barcelona), does the listing show a license or registration number?
- Do I know the cancellation policy, in writing?
Booking safely, and staying safe once you arrive
- Book your first and last nights before anything else. These are the nights you’ll be tired, jet-lagged, or catching a flight.
- Screenshot every confirmation, with the address in the local language, and save it offline.
- Arrive in daylight when you can, especially on the first night.
- Check the locks the first time you enter, and learn the way out in case of fire.
- Use the locker. Hostelworld recommends choosing hostels with strong, accessible lockers big enough for your valuables (Hostelworld). Bring your own padlock.
- Consider a women-only dorm if you’re a woman traveling solo. Many hostels offer them (Hostelworld).
- Pack a rubber door wedge for rooms with flimsy doors. It’s small, cheap, and adds real security (Her Trip Guide).
- Share your address with someone at home, every time you move.
Leah’s rule (from Choose Well): always have tonight’s bed booked before you start moving. Arriving somewhere new at night without a booking is how good days turn into bad nights.
Checklist: Housing Ready
- ☐ I’ve picked the neighborhood first, using the four questions.
- ☐ My first and last nights are booked.
- ☐ Every booking was made and paid through the platform or the property’s official site.
- ☐ I ran the Rental Scam Screen on every short-term rental.
- ☐ I’ve saved each confirmation offline, with the address in the local language.
- ☐ I know each cancellation policy.
- ☐ I’ve packed a padlock (and a door wedge).
- ☐ I’ve shared all my addresses with someone at home.
Prices and rules change. Everything on this page was checked in October 2026. Always confirm with the official source before you book.
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