Israeli Tourists Scammed in Rhodes After Booking Email Leads to Fake Rental

An Israeli group traveling to Rhodes, Greece, fell victim to a financial scam after trying to book accommodation through Booking.com. Anat from central Israel planned a trip for six adults and initially searched for lodging on Booking.com. When the property owner did not confirm the booking within 24 hours, Booking.com provided Anat with the owner's email address and suggested she contact them directly. Anat then communicated via WhatsApp with a woman claiming to be the property manager, who insisted they only worked through TripAdvisor and sent a payment link.

After encountering payment issues, the woman instructed Anat to make a bank transfer of 1,540 euros via SWIFT, providing an invoice supposedly from TripAdvisor. Two days after the transfer, the woman confirmed receipt and said they were awaiting the group. Trusting the process, Anat even bought a gift for the manager. However, upon arrival at the Rhodes address, the group found the property occupied by a local family and locked. A neighbor informed them that the property was rented to other guests and warned them they had been scammed, a recurring issue in the area.

With temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius and no place to stay, the group was helped by a local who directed them to a hostel in the city center where they stayed. Anat expressed regret for not verifying the details more thoroughly and emphasized the importance of warning others about such scams, especially since the initial contact came through Booking.com, lending false credibility to the fraud.

The incident highlights the risks travelers face when booking accommodations online and the need for vigilance when payment requests deviate from standard platform procedures.