Castellammare, they book a holiday from Mantua but arrive and discover that the house is inhabited

A summer vacation turned into a nightmare for a family from Mantua, victims of an online scam. The 52-year-old woman from Porto Mantovano had paid a €300 deposit for a vacation rental in Castellammare di Stabia, found through Booking.com, but upon arriving, she discovered that the property was already occupied.

The Carabinieri investigation led to the filing of charges against two men, aged 64 and 50, residents of the province of Naples, accused of posting a false advertisement.

This incident is part of a broader phenomenon of vacation scams, which also involves resort, flight, and cruise bookings. In Pozzuoli, several customers of a travel agency in Arco Felice reported losing up to €8 on unconfirmed bookings.

Consumer associations and United Travel Agencies urge you to carefully check the veracity of the advertisements, the agencies' requirements and the contractual details before making payments.

Law enforcement officials recommend caution to avoid similar cases and emphasize the importance of promptly reporting irregularities to combat these scams, which jeopardize vacations and tourists' peace of mind.