Beware Before Paying for Apartments: New Scam Sweeps Croatia, CERT Issues Warning

Croatia is experiencing a surge in online rental scams as the summer season begins, with citizens losing hundreds of euros to fraudulent accommodation offers. Scammers are increasingly sophisticated, employing stolen photographs and fake profiles, sometimes even impersonating legitimate landlords, to trick tourists into paying deposits for nonexistent apartments.

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The police are doing a good job through their campaigns and with younger personnel trained to detect online fraud. People are much better informed about such scams and are increasingly turning to the police, who are doing part of the job that other institutions should be doing.

National CERT, Croatia's computer emergency response team, has issued a new warning about the rising number of scam attempts. Attackers are using messaging apps like WhatsApp to pose as accommodation providers or representatives of booking platforms. They often use stolen personal data, such as names and reservation dates, to make their messages appear credible. Victims are then directed to fake websites to confirm payment details or re-enter credit card information.

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The biggest problem is advertising on online classifieds. It's a gray zone there, not so much on platforms like Booking.com or Airbnb. The problem is that the state has not organized control and regulation well enough, and the State Inspectorate does not have the capacity to do the job it is tasked with.

While consumer protection groups note a decrease in such scams compared to previous years due to increased public education and police intervention, online classifieds remain a significant weak point. Experts argue that the state has not adequately organized control and regulation for these platforms, and the State Inspectorate lacks the capacity to effectively manage the issue. This leaves a "gray zone" where fraudulent activities can thrive, despite efforts by platforms like Booking.com and Airbnb to maintain higher standards.

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Attackers, according to them, present themselves via WhatsApp and other applications as representatives of accommodation or the Booking.com platform and use real user data, such as names and reservation dates, to make their messages appear convincing.