Currently, many consumers contact us after their dream of a vacation in a Spanish villa has come to an abrupt end. After they booked and paid their accommodation, the provider was suddenly no longer available.
Highly dubious websites
The cases are similar, but refer to different traders. Consumers booked their holiday homes on Mallorca, Ibiza or Minorca on various websites. Those are often designed in a very inviting and professional way.
The website "villarentals-balearic.com"
As soon as the money was transferred, the alleged renter did no longer react. They were available neither via phone nor e-mail.
The following websites were reported to us by affected consumers:
- spainvillas-rental.com
- villarentals-balearic.com
- perfectholidayspain.com (nicht mehr aufrufbar)
- rental-balearic.com (nicht mehr aufrufbar)
The last two sites are no longer available, but we don't know any details about that.
Tips of the ECC about booking holiday accommodation
- If you are also affected by the problem described above, we advise you to file a criminal complaint for fraud with the police.
- The websites seem reputable at first glance. But we recommend that you start a Google search for any unknown provider: Are there any negative reviews?
- Also make sure that there is a complete imprint with information on the company headquarters and contact options, as well as terms and conditions.
- It is highly dubious that the entire amount must be transferred in advance. We strongly advise against paying this way!
- Reputable platforms usually offer multiple payment methods and require at most a partial amount in advance.
