Turin, online scams during the summer: recommendations from the State Police and Airbnb

The phenomenon of online scams continues to grow. Despite are digital native generations, a surprised to be more victims of these phenomena, from credit card fraud to phishing, they are Gen Z and Millennials and not seniors.

This is what emerges from the evidence of the State Police and Airbnb that, on the eve of summer and holiday bookings,they renewed their collaboration to help citizens to recognize and avoid bad actors online. Ecosystem's staff is testimonial of the campaign is Marco Camisani Calzolari, which already collaborates with the State Police on the topic of online scams.

The identikit of the victim

According to the 2023 Report of the activities of the Postal Police and for Cyber ​​Security, last year there was a considerable increase in online scam attempts in Italy, with a growth in these crimes of 6% from 2022 to 2023 and a consequent increase in the money stolen, which is went from 114 million euros to 137 million (+ 20%). However, 2.500 phishing sites have been identified and blocked by Airbnb only in the last 12 months. Also if born and raised in the digital age, new generations are less careful when it comes to online security. According to Consumerism, 1 Italian in 5 claims to have suffered at least one scam while shopping online, percentage that rises to 33,1% in the 25-34 age group: that is it means that 1 in 3 young people have fallen into the "traps" of e-commerce.

Italy is no exception compared to Europe, as Airbnb investigations highlight:

● In the United Kingdom, young people among 18 to 34 year olds have been scammed more than any other age group and more than a third (34%) he wouldn't know who to turn to for help if he were scammed.

● In Spain, most of the Baby Boomers (60%), Gen X (55%) and Millennial (56%) use a different password for each online account, While the percentage drops to half (50%) if considers themselves Gen Z.

● Moles Netherlandsalmost a third of users aged 18-24 (31%) and between 25 and 34 years (33%) is available to pay for holidays with a bank transfer, a less secure payment method, compared to just 14% of 55-64 year olds and 14% of those over 65.

● In France, almost a quarter (23%) of users would use a social network to pay or book holiday accommodation, a context in which scammers could target victims with offers that are too tempting to be true.

Although the common opinion is that Baby Boomers are the most at risk of scams, in In reality, Millennials admit that they are willing to risk impulse purchases if that leads to savings in economic terms; people of this age group, in fact, they are more likely to make arrangements outside of trusted booking platforms, thus exposing yourself to a greater risk of something going wrong. In the end, the relaxed attitude towards social media that we frequent every day can be among the causes that expose the youngest to unpleasant surprises.

Valentina Reino, Head of Institutional Relations at Airbnb ItalySaid: “We are in the middle of the booking period; this initiative aims to help people understand what warning signs to look for and good practices to adopt. When it comes to booking on Airbnb, we encourage our guests to communicate, book and pay only on the platform, where transactions are secure and they can also count on AirCover, our insurance program to protect hosts and guests. In fact, the vast majority of deception attempts take place outside our site."

"In recent years there has been a constant increase in the sector of financial crimes committed online, in 2023 alone the Postal Police dealt with over 16 thousand cases, including those linked to the booking of holiday homes, packages and travel tickets. Although the majority of scams occur outside of travel booking platforms, we also find significant evidence in this sector, especially during peak holiday planning periods. These are types of scams which, with adequate and constant awareness-raising among users, can be recognized and avoided, and the Postal Police is fully committed in this direction. For this reason, we appreciate and renew our collaboration with Airbnb in preventing such crimes." Massimo Bruno, First Director of the State Police e Director of the Financial Cybercrime Division of the Postal Police and Cyber ​​Security Service.

How to avoid online scams: advice

1. Check the website address. Whether you use a computer or a smartphone, better to check that you are booking through the official platform. The solution is to use the Airbnb app or go directly to the website to make sure you are on the official website (www.airbnb.it).

2. Don't click on unknown links. Relaxed use of social media can contribute to exposing users to the risk of scams. If you are unsure whether a message or post is from a recognized company, not share or interact with them and do not click on any links present. Airbnb provides lines guide on how to identify an authentic link or email from the platform.

3. Be wary of offers that are too convenient or requests for a deposit. With the cost of living rising, many consumers are on the hunt for great deals; but if an offer or advert seems too good to be true, we may be dealing with a scam. In In this case it is advisable to take all the time necessary to review listing details and existing reviews, especially if payment is rushed.

4. Never pay by bank transfer. It is of a payment instrument not permitted by Airbnb. Better to use the credit card, which offers more protection. If you receive a request to pay for a trip via bank transfer, cryptocurrency or gift cards, it is very likely that it is a scam.

5. Book, pay and communicate only on the platform. Some users may be attracted by the proposal to deal privately outside the portal to save money. However, this does not allow you to take advantage of Airbnb guarantees, which does not recognize payments made by guests until 24 hours after check-in, while AirCover for guests it provides protection for some possible eventualities.

6. Check the reviews. Reading the opinions of other guests is useful to get a more precise idea before booking, by checking the ratings and reviews and carefully reading the ad description. You can also ask the host questions via messaging on the platform before locking in your dates.

7. Communicate with the host. Once the reservation has been made, before travelling, it is preferable to contact the host to make arrival arrangements, and verify any particularly important needs. In case of no response, contact customer service immediately.

8. How to report a concern in the right way. On Airbnb, users can report controversial messages directly from internal messaging, while suspected cases can be reported via a flag on each announcement. If you have made a payment off-site, you must immediately contact customer support which is available 24 hours a day, 24 days a week.

Happy holidays from the State Police and AirBnB