Chalet rental scams in Quebec on Facebook and elsewhere: pitfalls to avoid to avoid ruining your vacation
You dream of a cozy fireplace, marshmallows, and peace in the forest... but you find yourself with a vanished Interac transfer and a "landlord" who disappears like a seagull in front of a McDonald's fries. Yes, rental scams in Quebec exist, and they're becoming increasingly sophisticated. This article is intended to be as informative as possible. It seems complicated at first, but you'll soon see that fraudsters are easy to spot. Just follow these 6 steps and tips to avoid turning your vacation into a District 31-style investigation.
6 tips and red flags to avoid chalet rental scams
🚨 1. No CITQ number, no cookies.
A cottage without a CITQ number is like a septic tank without a lid... it stinks. In Quebec, it is illegal to rent a cottage not authorized by the CITQ. The CITQ number also allows you to trace and confirm the identity of the owners of the cottage.
Our advice: Always ask for the number if it isn't posted, and even if it is, verify it. How? See our article on How to verify a CITQ number. Indeed, a CITQ number is no guarantee of anything if it hasn't been verified and the owners contacted.
Be careful, sometimes a valid number isn't in the registry, or the information could be incorrect. For example, a change of ownership could take some time to update in the database. Also note that a CITQ number is not mandatory for a property rented long-term (31 days or more), or for a property considered a principal residence. The Bonjour Québec database is therefore not completely infallible. This is why the rest of this article is very relevant.
🚨 2. The ad that's too perfect to be true... because it is.
Pinterest-worthy photos, lake view, spa, sauna, campfire AND a price that would make any homeowner cry? "Dream chalet available this Christmas for $300 a week, with spa, sauna, and butler..." Yeah, no. On Facebook, there are real gems, but also some great scams.
Our advice:
- Reverse image search (Google Images)
- Check if the ad exists elsewhere, under a different name. Confirm the consistency of a chalet ad on different sites. Indeed, it's not uncommon for a chalet to be displayed on multiple websites. However, check that the same information is repeated, including the owner, address, and contact information.
- Compare prices to spot any anomalies.
🚨 3. "I only take bank transfers?" – Be careful!
You're asked for an Interac e-transfer. Once the payment is made, radio silence. And your vacation? Waiting for a refund... forever. Be careful, just because someone only accepts bank transfers doesn't mean they're a fraudster. Indeed, someone may rent their family cottage sporadically. It's therefore possible that this person doesn't advertise on any platform and doesn't have a system to accept other payment methods. Furthermore, this eliminates credit card transaction fees. However, this is a risk you must calculate.
Our advice:
Ideally, pay by credit card or via recognized platforms. If you're really interested in the cottage, we STRONGLY encourage you to follow our first tip.
🚨 4. Pssst... I sent you a private message... Big No No
You're asked for an Interac e-transfer. Once the payment is made, silence. And your vacation? Waiting for a refund... forever. Be careful, just because someone only accepts bank transfers doesn't mean they're a fraudster. Indeed, someone may rent their family cottage sporadically. It's therefore possible that this person doesn't advertise on any platform and doesn't have a system to accept other payment methods. Furthermore, this eliminates credit card transaction fees. However, this is a risk you must calculate.
Our advice:
Ideally, pay by credit card or via recognized platforms. If you're really interested in the cottage, we STRONGLY encourage you to follow our first tip.
🚨 5. My Facebook profile without a photo has 2 friends, now rent my chalet! -> NO Martine!
Fraudsters usually use questionable profiles, often recently created. Signs:
- Few friends- No profile pictures
- Inconsistent profile pictures (e.g., several completely different people in each photo)
- No reviews on Marketplace
- Inconsistent communication, sometimes too fast
🚨 6. Choose the booking site or platform wisely
Some fraudsters even set up entire websites to gain credibility. After numerous reported incidents, please avoid the following site:
Beau Chalets: https://beauchalets.ca/ -> credible, but a total scam (note the absence of the 'x' in 'beau' 🕵️). It's also strange that they only accept Interac e-transfers, isn't it? 😉😉! This site is regularly reported to the police, but unfortunately, it continues to claim victims.
This site is the primary reason we created this article. It's truly distressing to see families and groups of friends wasting their time and money on this unscrupulous site.
We invite you to read the TVA article about this website.
Also, feel free to check out our article "Which sites or platforms should you use to rent a chalet?"
🧠 Let's summarize -> the 6 reflexes for renting with peace of mind
1. ALWAYS check the CITQ number and contact the owners if you have any doubts.
2. Do your research on a listing (reviews, compare several sites for the same cottage, etc.)
3. Pay by credit card4. Beware of people who hide their cottage listings
5. Beware of questionable Facebook profiles and analyze communication with the supposed "host," which should be fluid and consistent.
6. Choose a secure and verified transactional website
Easy, right?
🙈 What to do if you've been scammed?
Act quickly!
- Contact your bank immediately.
- Report the fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
- File a police report.
- And most importantly, inform others to prevent this from happening to other vacationers.
🏡 Want to rent a chalet stress-free? We'll take care of it.
At Les Hébergements Larivière, our cabins are all registered, verified, and come with crystal-clear contracts. No surprises. Just BBQs, waterfront, peace and quiet, and maybe a deer or two.