You should be very careful about which platforms you use to make accommodation reservations. The transfer of funds for the service should be done in a traceable manner and the reason for the transfer should be indicated, so that in the event of a dispute, we have proper evidence that this money was deposited by us in a specific direction and for a clear purpose.
This was recommended on Darik Radio by the founder of the online platform “We, the users” Gabriela Rumenova. The advice comes against the backdrop of the case from Veliko Tarnovo region that became known yesterday, in which a person embezzled over 20,000 leva from nearly 300 people by multiple renting out the same house in the village of Ledenik. The victims of the fraud paid between 600 and 1,400 leva for reservations that were never realized.
Rumenova also recalled recently released information from the Directorate General of Anti-Money Laundering and Counterfeiting, according to which the authorities investigate an average of one case of guest house fraud every day. “There is supposedly an ad for accommodation, but it turns out that the money has been collected, it has disappeared, there is no connection with the people who collected it, and people are left without accommodation and without their funds.”, she summarizes the examples.
“We, the Consumers” recommends that people with reservations for Christmas and New Year's Eve make several important checks before heading to the accommodation, if they have not already done so before booking. Make sure that the facility is categorized and is listed in the Ministry of Tourism register. Then, they should check the phone number from a reliable source (e.g., the official website of the property) with the one they have and call the reception to confirm the reservation. If they suspect fraud, they should immediately contact the law enforcement authorities.
For a trouble-free check-in, we remind users to bring with them or provide quick and easy access to the reservation documents (contract, receipts, vouchers for prepaid services, etc.), which they will need when checking in and using all additional services, including the festive dinner, SPA, etc. When traveling abroad, they should check the necessary additional documents, health insurance, etc.