Local 10 News reporter Andrea Brody nearly out thousands of dollars in rental home scam

Rental scam alert comes just in time for summer vacation

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Millions of people have used worldwide vacation rental websites, VRBO and Home Away, and while most transactions are routine, there are thieves out there hoping to steal your money through a rental ruse.

In fact, Local 10 News sports reporter Andrea Brody was nearly was out thousands of dollars in a rental home scam.

"Never in a million years did it run through my mind that through VRBO or Home Away, that I would be walking into a pretty elaborate scam," Brody said.

Brody said she wasted a week of her time and almost lost thousands of dollars to a rental scam when she tried to rent a home in Colorado this summer.

"I have got this northern dog with this giant furry coat and we are only in May, and he will no longer go for walks," Brody said.

Brody thought a month in the mountains was just what her Norwegian Elk hound, Gunnar, needed. Little did she know a legitimate rental listing had been hacked. 

"These scammers were intercepting every email intended for the owner of the property," Brody said.

The scammers even created a helpful rental agent named Charlotte Godin from Britain. They said they could accommodate the family dog and said that the home has central air.

The scammers also said they could reduce the price by 20 percent.

"It was too accommodating. It was too perfect. It was too good to be true," Brody said.

Brody said she and her husband sold their Morningside home and they need to be out by the end of June, which put even more pressure on her to find a rental property.

But when she asked Charlotte if she could send her cousin by the property to get a look at it she replied, "At the moment we have a delightful family from Switzerland enjoying a family reunion. It would be impolite to impose."

What is even more disturbing is that Brody called the VRBO and Home Away customer service agents twice with her suspicions.

"I asked to speak to supervisors. I pushed to speak to security and I was turned away and reassured that everything was in order," Brody said.

Brody didn't submit a payment. The site has since shed the listing.

Local 10 News reporter Todd Tongen spoke with the actual owner of the property who did not want to go on camera. She said this has happened to her before, just not with her Aspen property.

Vacationers' best protection is to read reviews, get references, speak to the owner personally, read the contract thoroughly and always pay with a credit card.

Follow Todd Tongen on Twitter @toddtongen

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10