Online Scams in Cape Town

WhatsApp Vacation Rental Fraud

Fraudsters advertise Cape Town apartments and holiday homes on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree at below-market prices, collecting a deposit or full payment via EFT before disappearing. The listing photos are stolen from legitimate Airbnb or property sites. Victims typically discover the fraud on arrival when the address either does not exist or belongs to someone else. Losses of R5,000–R20,000 are common during peak summer season (December–January).