Sunriver Police warn of rise in reports of vacation rental scams

The Sunriver Police Department warned citizens Thursday about a rise in fraudulent / scam reports of vacation rentals in the area.

"We have received an increase in calls by citizens who have fallen victim or are reporting suspected scammers assuming the identity of rental property owners or managers on platforms such as Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay," the department said in a Facebook posting.

Police offered up these safety tips:

- Research or verify the property management company exists. If you are concerned, reach out to the property management company or owner.

- The property management company or owner should never ask for payment through iTunes (gift cards), Western Union, Zelle, Apple, Fred Meyers gift cards, etc.

- If something seems suspicious, slow down and do research. This may save you thousands of dollars by vetting out possible scammers.

The Sunriver Police Department would like to ask community members to share this information to help prevent anyone else from falling victim in the future.

If you believe that you have or are being scammed, please contact Deschutes County Non-Emergency Dispatch at 541-693-6911 and ask to speak with an officer. Additionally, you can report suspected fraud through the Federal Trade Commission website at report.fraud.ftc.gov.