Vacation Rental Scams Target South Lake Tahoe Visitors

Summer travelers heading to South Lake Tahoe are being warned about a growing vacation rental scam that can cost victims thousands of dollars.

With millions of visitors heading to the area each year, scammers are creating fake rental listings and using photos and descriptions copied from legitimate properties.

Property managers say many of the fraudulent listings appear on Craigslist, where scammers may offer vacation homes at attractive prices.

One property manager says a woman visiting from South Africa once arrived at a Tahoe rental after paying $10,000 for the summer, only to discover she had been scammed.

Experts say travelers should be cautious if a rental owner asks for payment through Venmo, Cash App or other methods with limited buyer protection.

They also recommend verifying that a rental is legitimate before sending money. The City of South Lake Tahoe maintains a database that visitors can use to check rental properties and permits.

Travel experts say taking a few extra steps to verify a listing could help prevent a vacation from turning into a costly scam.