Letters to the Editor

Avoid being duped out of your Cape Cod vacation rental deposit

Letter to the Editor:

The internet is a convenient place to do business. Unfortunately it is also susceptible to fraud and abuse.

Recent reports have unscrupulous people advertising vacation homes for rent on Cape Cod they do not own or legitimately represent. Craigslist.com, a kind of do-it-yourself marketplace for products and services, has vacation properties listed for rent in almost every Cape Cod town.

The best solution for any potential renter of vacation property is to call the local chamber of commerce in the first place.  We represent most rental agents in our community who represent most of our town’s rental properties.

Unfortunately, several potential renters have been duped out of their deposits for a vacation rental.

But others have sought additional sources of verification before they transact their business. Many of those call the local chamber of commerce for references that we cannot give. The best solution for any potential renter of vacation property is to call the local chamber of commerce in the first place.  We represent most rental agents in our community who represent most of our town’s rental properties. We even represent some individual property owners.  The local chambers like intermediary websites such as www.weneedavacation.com can verify the authenticity of the renter.

Please call us. But if you still prefer to use the internet, you can find all the local Cape Cod chambers of commerce listed at one convenient website, www.capecodcommerce.com.

Spyro Mitrokostas, Executive Director
Dennis Chamber of Commerce
238 Swan River Road
Post Office Box 1001
West Dennis, MA 02670
508.398.3568
www.dennischamber.com