Council Bluffs, Iowa [KETV] — A series of unfortunate events led to a family from eastern Iowa trespassing into a Council Bluffs man’s home last weekend. KETV in Omaha reports the family believed they’d rented the home on Vrbo, the popular vacation rental site, but the homeowner said he never listed his home. Now both parties want Vrbo to take more precautions to avoid scams like this.

Scott Porter has lived in his Council Bluffs home for three years. He believes a scammer used photos of his home from a previous sale listing to create a fake vacation rental listing on Vrbo. Purely out of coincidence were the renters able to enter his house. Melanee Lee and her family were visiting Council Bluffs the weekend of Nov. 24. She found Porter’s home listed on Vrbo and booked it.

When the day came, her family didn’t get any check in details but went to the house in search of a lockbox with a key to get in. Lee’s mother found an unlocked side door. Lee said she didn’t think this was strange since some hosts didn’t use the front door for guests. The family went in and began dividing up rooms.

Porter’s friend of the home’s owner noticed an unusual number of vehicles in the driveway while Porter was away. When the friend spoke with Lee, she called Porter, and after speaking with him, realized they had been scammed. The Better Business Bureau said they’ve seen a handful of vacation rental scams locally and thousands across the nation. They said also, it’s important to report scams to the BBB, so others don’t fall victim.

In a statement to KETV, Vrbo said it appears the home was mistakenly listed its site, and has since been removed from their platform. The account that listed the home was also been suspended. Vrbo said the family that booked the home was refunded, and alternative lodging was paid for.