When booking self catering accommodation check that your holiday rental actually exists and isn't another Internet scam. Do this before you part with any cash. We have heard of people booking villas in distant locations such as the Caribbean only to arrive and discover that the only location where the villa exists is on a website.

Ways of checking that a villa or self catering cottage is genuine

• If the villa is advertised on holiday accommodation portals or with agents, call them and find out how long they have displayed the advert and whether they can vouch for the owner.
• Ask the owner of the self catering accommodation to provide you with phone numbers of previous tenants in your country so that you can call them.
• Perform a search on the web using the name of the acconmmodation and the word 'scam'. Repeat this with the name of the owner and 'scam'. People who have been scammed often post details on the web as a warning to other potential holidaymakers.
• Pay by credit card where possible. Not all owners of self catering accommodation are able to accept payments by card, especially those who own a small holiday cottage. Ensure that you obtain a receipt for each payment you make and have a telephone conversation prior to booking. Ask for printed literature about the accommodation. Scammers are likely to produce just enough to attract people to book. Be aware that the development of a professional looking website is loose change compared to several months bookings in advance.

If in doubt, don't book