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Couple spends over $10,000 on Airbnb that didn't exist

Sept. 29, 2019
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2 min read
Ibiza Town
Couple spends over $10,000 on Airbnb that didn't exist
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A British couple intending to take a vacation in Ibiza, Spain realized that they had been scammed out of thousands of dollars when they arrived at their supposed Airbnb's address to find that it did not exist.

Ian and Denise Feltham had reserved a "VIP penthouse" in the Spanish holiday destination that promised features like a Turkish bath and a private elevator -- and paid almost $12,000 for it.

According to Fox News, the couple claimed that the listing they reserved had multiple positive reviews on Airbnb's site, and that communication -- at least in the beginning -- was normal. They grew anxious as their reservation grew closer and the host became unresponsive, but Airbnb wouldn't refund their money unless the couple showed up and the listing did not exist.

Sure enough, when the Feltham's arrived at the building where the "VIP penthouse" was supposed to be, it wasn't there. Mr. Feltham said he spoke to a neighbor who said that it had been a recurring problem. The couple had no other choice other than to find a hotel that would accommodate both them and their pet, and ended up spending about $250 extra per night for a hotel that was 40 minutes away from town.

In a statement to The Sun, Airbnb said that its handling of the situation "fell below [its] usual high standards" and that it had reached out to the Feltham's to apologize and issue a full refund.

The homeshare company said that it has suspended the fraudulent listing and continues to investigate the situation.

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If you're thinking about an Airbnb (that actually exists) for your next vacation, make sure to use the best travel rewards credit card to book.

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Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto

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