DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – Tourists planning to stay in private villas in Bali are being urged to exercise extra caution after industry data showed a sharp rise in villa rental scams, particularly ahead of the Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026 holiday period.
The Bali Villa Rental and Management Association (BVRMA) has recorded at least 101 victims of villa rental fraud throughout 2025, with total financial losses reaching hundreds of millions of rupiah.
Most cases involve online bookings where travelers are offered unusually low rental prices, only for the scammers to disappear after receiving payment.
According to BVRMA Chairman I Kadek Adnyana, scammers rely heavily on professional-looking photos and videos shared through social media to appear legitimate.
“They use many different names. Once they get a victim, they change identities. Some of the names used include Bali Villa Rental, Beautiful Bali Villa, and others,” he said in Denpasar on Wednesday (December 17, 2025).
The scams often target tourists arriving during peak travel periods. Adnyana explained that perpetrators can operate from anywhere and frequently boost their credibility by artificially increasing social media followers.
“So far, there have been 101 victims in 2025, with losses reaching hundreds of millions. Reports have been made to relevant authorities, but in most cases, the money cannot be recovered,” he said.
BVRMA also revealed that many scammers use photos of real villas without permission, including properties managed by its members.
“Several members have had their villa photos stolen. After payment is made, the scammers can no longer be contacted,” Adnyana added.
How Tourists Can Avoid Villa Rental Scams
In response to the growing number of cases, BVRMA has launched an official villa verification platform aimed at protecting travelers and legitimate businesses.
The platform, prepared over the past six months, became publicly accessible on December 17, 2025, and is currently the only official villa verification system in Bali.
“As a commitment to protecting tourists and compliant tourism businesses, BVRMA provides a secure and reliable villa verification platform,” Adnyana said.
Tourists are advised to verify villa listings before making any payment by checking the official BVRMA verification page at:
https://bvrma.org/verification-page/
Villas and management companies listed on the platform are confirmed members of BVRMA, which currently has around 3,000 registered members across Bali.
Travelers are encouraged to request a verification number from villa managers, listings that cannot provide verification should be treated as a warning sign.
BVRMA hopes this initiative will help ensure safer travel experiences in Bali, especially during the busy holiday season, while supporting a more transparent and sustainable villa rental sector.