Straight Talk: Be alert when looking to rent party goods

Planning a party? If you need to rent chairs, decorations, a bouncy house, or any other supplies, take extra caution when searching for rentals. BBB Scam Tracker continues to receive reports of party hosts being tricked by rentals that don’t materialize. Before planning your next party, get to know this scam to avoid being conned.

How the scam works

You are planning a party and need to rent supplies. You do a web or social media search and find a few options.

For example, you may find a legitimate website with a convenient online booking system. Or you might message someone through a social media account that seems professional. Either way, the “vendor” promises to reserve your rental for the date you need it – if you pay a deposit first. They may also require you to fill out a contact form with your personal details.

The date of your party arrives, and your rental tent, furniture, or other supplies don’t arrive. At this point, the “vendor” may tell you they’ve had an emergency and can’t deliver on their promise. However, the scammers will disappear completely when you ask for your money back. Other times, you can’t contact the rental company at all.

One consumer reported this experience to BBB Scam Tracker: “I was looking for an inflatable for my son’s birthday. I searched on Facebook and that [company name redacted] was sponsored. I messaged them and they had good reviews.

Then he told me to Zelle him a downpayment of $150 and then the other $150 I will send later. So, I thought it was legitimate. He told me to send him a screenshot that I sent the money and then he blocked me.”

Another consumer reported to BBB Scam Tracker their experience with a party rental scam: “We hired [company name redacted] and [name redacted] to rent items for our son’s wedding. We paid her $1,592.24 on January 14, 2023 for these items to rent. She has since ghosted us, closed her business and is not responsive. We are now having to hurry up and find new items for the wedding to rent.”

How to avoid rental scams

● Do your research before you rent. Take a good look at the rental company’s website and ensure it has accurate contact information. Then, read consumer reviews about the company on third-party websites, such as BBB.org. Also, search the business name plus the word “scam” to ensure you don’t find any reports of fraudulent business dealings.

● Think twice when renting from listings only advertised on social media. Take caution if you find party rentals on social media but cannot find the company’s website or confirm their contact information anywhere else. If the rental business only contacts you and facilitates the transaction through social media, and refuses to talk on the phone or in person, that’s another red flag.

● Be careful with your personal details. You may need to fill out a contract with personal information, but ensure you are dealing with a legitimate, professional company first before handing over sensitive personal and financial information.

● Review your contract. It’s common to have a contract in place when you order rentals from a company. Review your contract carefully and ensure that your delivery date and time are accurate, as well as the final cost and payment details. Check to ensure the contract doesn’t outline any phony fees or other extra costs you weren’t anticipating. Save a copy of the contract that is signed and dated by both you and the company.

● Consider how the company is asking you to provide payment. Oftentimes, scammers will ask you to provide payment through a digital wallet app or a wire transfer. Don’t ever hand over money or your payment information to a stranger or someone you haven’t met. If you do pay, remember that it’s much easier to dispute fraudulent charges using your credit card. If you pay with a debit card, digital wallet, or cash, you may not get your money back if you find out you were scammed. If the cost of the rental down payment seems too high, do more research and get quotes from other rental companies.

FOR BBB INFORMATION – Visit BBB.org or call us at 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, find our events, follow us on social media, and more!

This article originally appeared on The Repository: 5 things to watch for when renting party goods