Beware: Massachusetts Residents Could Be a Target of Rental Scams

Summer fun continues in Massachusetts. Whether you are enjoying swimming, fishing, boating, camping or touring cities like Boston, Worcester, and Springfield or checking out an array of antique shops, museums, and theaters that the Berkshires offer, there is no shortage of things to do in Massachusetts during the summer.

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With the summer season comes parties. People host outdoor events including weddings. Of course, when planning a party of any kind, there's a good chance that you may need to rents some items. Whether it's a bounce house for the kids, a giant tent or chair covers for a wedding reception, or one of those nostalgic-type popcorn machines, you'll probably be renting at least one item for your event this summer.

Massachusetts Party Hosts Need to Watch Out for The 'Rental' Scam

Seeing that this is the outdoor party season, criminals strike when the iron is hot and attempt to scam people out of money by pretending to be representatives of legitimate companies that rent out the types of items previously mentioned. As a matter of fact, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is receiving reports that party hosts are being tricked by rentals that don't materialize.

How Does the Scam Work? 

The way the scam works is party hosts are finding rental companies online that appear to be legitimate and in some cases these hosts message vendors that appear to be professional. These so-called professionals promise that the rental items will be delivered but first, the hosts need to put down a deposit and/or fill out a contract that contains personal details. After this occurs, the items don't arrive for the planned event. Not only have these folks been taken by the scammer but personal information has been distributed to these fake professionals.

The BBB offers four steps to avoid being a victim of this scam which includes:

• Doing research before you rent
• Being careful with your personal details
• Being wary of people who contact you on messaging apps
• Making sure that you always pay with a credit card

You can more details about this rental scam by going here.