ST. PETERSBURG, FL October 2, 2012 -Vacation rental fraud schemes are similar to other online scams.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL October 2, 2012 -Vacation rental fraud schemes are similar to other online scams. Criminals apartment rentals take advantage of travelers looking for affordable rental options by creating fraudulent listings for rental properties. After the traveler pays for the rental and arrives at the destination, they find that the property does not exist or that someone else lives there. There are ways to avoid these increasingly popular scams, but according to travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, purchasing travel insurance is not one of them.
Travelers should be aware that rental scams may not be covered by travel insurance policies. "We've recently received more questions about rental scams," says Chris Harvey, CEO of Squaremouth. The alarming increase of these scams has prompted the travel insurance comparison site to advise travelers that, although policies may include many benefits, it is unlikely that rental fraud protection is included. "The best defense against rental fraud is to thoroughly research apartment rentals rental properties before making any payments," says Harvey.
Some policies offer financial default as part of trip cancellation or interruption coverage, but this only applies if a company experiences complete suspension of operations due to financial troubles — and this is completely different from fraud. According to Squaremouth, even if the property enters bankruptcy or foreclosure, claims apartment rentals for losses under this benefit will likely be denied due to policy definitions.
It is important to note that insurance companies often define "travel supplier" as a travel agent, scheduled airline, cruise line, tour operator, bus line or other licensed provider of travel. apartment rentals This may not include individual property owners. Reviewing policy certificates carefully can give travelers better understanding of policy benefits.
When booking a vacation rental online or through a travel supplier, Harvey warns travelers to be wary of "property owners" who require wire transfers or upfront payments for reservations. "If a property owner refuses to speak over the phone or stops responding to emails, it is likely a scam," says Harvey.
With a few preventative steps, travelers can protect themselves from rental fraud.  If they conduct research and recognize the red flags of scammers, they are more likely to rent accommodations that were accurately represented online.
Squaremouth is America's fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, helping customers instantly quote, compare and buy policies from every major carrier. Squaremouth has an extensive apartment rentals network of partner sites worldwide. The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL., with offices in Fort Wayne, IN. For more information, visit www.squaremouth.com.
The cornerstone of our commitment apartment rentals to customers is Squaremouth's guarantee to remove any company from our website if there is a customer complaint that cannot be resolved to our satisfaction. Squaremouth offers the broadest selection of insurance apartment rentals with an emphasis on quality and follow-up care in companies featured. We also factor in independent evaluation from the insurance industry watchdog apartment rentals AM Best.
Air Ambulance Card , American Express , Azimuth Risk Solutions , CSA Travel Protection , frontier MEDEX , Global Alert Admin , Global Rescue , Global Underwriters , HCC , HTH Worldwide , IMG ,   ITravelInsured , John Hancock , Medjet Assist , MH Ross , Seven Corners , Travel Guard , Travel Insurance Services , Travel Insured , Travelers Liberty apartment rentals , Travelex , TravelSafe , Trawick International and USA Assist .