Anyone booking lodging through a booking site like booking.com should watch out for fake ads. Scammers appear to be exploiting next year's Olympics. They are offering cheap flats that turn out not even to exist.
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Beware of fake ads if you're looking online for a place to stay in Paris!
Colin Clapson
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Anyone who says Olympics immediately thinks of sky-high prices if you want to stay at the venue. An internet site like booking.com can sometimes offer flats at really cheap rates, but “too cheap” should set off alarm bells.
"A flat on the Champs Élysées, for 3 nights for 200 euros: that is also too good to be true," says Martijn Dirckx, a lawyer at the European Consumer Centre.
How do you recognise fake ads? It all looks genuine, but you may notice that there are no reviews on booking.com. The fact that the landlord may ask to contact you outside booking.com is even more suspicious.
"Make sure you always pay via a method that allows you to claim your money back afterwards, if necessary," advises Dirckx. "For example paying via a platform like booking.com, allows you to claim your money back afterwards in the case of a scam. The same applies when paying by credit card or via PayPal. If you use a bank transfer, there is no possibility of a refund at all."
Platforms like booking.com are not responsible for everything on their websites, but they must take action if there are complaints.