A Manchester father has spoken out after falling victim to an elaborate rental scam, which saw him lose £2,000 to a woman falsely claiming to be the landlord of a property that was, in fact, an active Airbnb listing.

The Scam: “Amy” Poses as Landlord

Ben Echianu, a 43-year-old NHS nurse from Chorlton, responded to a Gumtree advert for a three-bedroom property listed at £750/month — a below-market rate for central Manchester.

• The supposed landlord, calling herself “Amy”, arranged a viewing.

• Ben was shown around the property and signed a tenancy agreement.

• He paid a £2,000 deposit (£1,000 in cash, £1,000 via bank transfer).

• The agreed move-in date was 1 July.

But just days before the move, “Amy” disappeared. Calls and texts went unanswered.

The Shocking Discovery

When Ben visited the address on 29 June:

• He found unrelated tenants already inside.

• Occupants and neighbours confirmed the house was a short-let property, listed on Airbnb and Booking.com, managed by City Superhost.

• No one had heard of “Amy”.

Ben suspects the scammer had previously booked the property, made a copy of the key, and posed as the owner to deceive him.

“When I realised it was a scam, it was a shock. I was really traumatised. Moving to this property meant so much to me,” Ben said.

Short-Let Platforms and Fraud Risk

City Superhost, the management firm, believes the scammer acted as a fake estate agent during a legitimate booking window. In response:

• Locks were changed immediately.

• Nearby CCTV footage is being reviewed.

• The company is cooperating with police and Action Fraud.

They noted this was the first such case in managing nearly 100 properties.

Airbnb has since removed the associated user account and reiterated that its Trust & Safety Team monitors for fraud. Both Gumtree and Booking.com also stressed their reporting tools and safety protocols.

Takeaways for Agents, Landlords and Tenants

🚩 Red Flags

• Unusually low rent in high-demand locations.

• Requests for cash payments or bank transfers without checks.

• No official lettings agency or ownership verification.

• Lack of due diligence, such as title checks or legitimate references.

✅ Practical Advice

For tenants:

• Never hand over money without checking the land registry (available online for £3).

• Request ID and proof of ownership or agency credentials.

• Avoid cash; use traceable payments.

For landlords and agents:

• Be aware that short-let units can be co-opted by fraudsters, especially if self check-in or key safes are used.

• Regularly rotate lock codes and check who holds spare keys.

• Notify platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com of any suspicious activity.

Final Thought

This case highlights a growing vulnerability in the rental market: the intersection between short-term lets and unregulated advertising platforms like Gumtree.

The “Amy” scam is not just a tragic tale for one father – it’s a wake-up call for the sector. As fraud becomes more sophisticated, robust verification, clear record-keeping, and tighter controls on access are essential.