Emerald Coast By Owner Introduces Safety Verification to Combat Rental Scams
News related to:Emerald Coast By Owner · 2 min read
Emerald Coast By Owner, a vacation rental company based in Destin, Florida, has introduced a new consumer safety verification process to address a growing trend of rental property scams. The initiative, dubbed the True Ownership Verification Guarantee (TOVG), aims to protect travelers from fraudulent listings and financial losses.
According to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) statistics, 65,000 individuals across the United States fell victim to rental property scams over the past six years. These scams, which often involve scammers copying photos, descriptions, and Google Maps data to create fake listings, have resulted in over $65 million in unrecoverable losses since 2020. To combat these fraudulent activities, Emerald Coast By Owner has launched the TOVG, which will first be implemented in Panama City Beach, Florida.
The TOVG process will verify property ownership and offer reimbursement protection to consumers. The company’s existing practices already include vetting hosts and verifying listings across Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. Emerald Coast By Owner encourages guests to communicate with owners through official channels rather than third-party messaging apps. The new guarantee builds on the company’s commitment to transparency, which has guided its operations since 2016 when it aimed to reduce unnecessary traveler fees in the vacation rental market.
The TOVG reflects Emerald Coast By Owner’s commitment to addressing rental fraud, which has drawn regulatory attention. The company plans to expand verification protections to additional markets in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. Verified listings on the platform now make up a catalog of over 10,000 properties across all five Gulf Coast states, all of which can be sorted by location, pet-friendliness, capacity, and beach proximity.
For travelers seeking a direct-to-owner booking experience, Emerald Coast By Owner offers a comprehensive selection of vacation rentals. The company’s website, [www.emeraldcoastbyowner.com](www.emeraldcoastbyowner.com), provides detailed information on its services and the TOVG process.
Emerald Coast By Owner’s TOVG is a proactive measure to protect consumers from the increasing threat of rental property scams. By implementing this verification process, the company aims to ensure that travelers can book with confidence and avoid the financial and emotional stress associated with fraudulent listings.