US Secret Service, Italian Police Bust Scheme Targeting Travelers Booking Vacation Rentals

Nonexistent lodgings were promoted on legitimate travel platforms.
US Secret Service, Italian Police Bust Scheme Targeting Travelers Booking Vacation Rentals
People stroll on the via della Conciliazione, which leads to the Vatican and St Peter's basilica, during the Catholic Jubilee Year, in Rome on Dec. 26, 2024. Tiziana FABI/AFP via Getty Images
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An Italian scam operation that duped travelers of more than half a million dollars was dismantled in a joint operation between the U.S. Secret Service and Italy’s national police force, the Polizia di Stato, the former said in an Aug. 13 statement.

The law enforcement agencies teamed up earlier this year to dismantle a scheme that targeted people booking vacation rentals in Rome via popular travel websites.