My friend Khalid’s niece, a cheerful and kindhearted university student, was excited to organise a small getaway with her friends to celebrate their successful completion of their first term at one of the local universities in Oman. They wanted to book a farmhouse for the week that is peaceful, away from Muscat and surrounded by a feel of nature.
They wanted to utilise the farmhouse as a university break to play games, have laughter and increase bonds among the friends. Like many other friends and families, she searched for a farmhouse using Instagram (being one of the popular social networking sites for the same) and quickly found the perfect place. The Instagram farmhouse account looked professional; it had beautiful quality photos, many followers, positive comments and even videos showcasing the facilities, area and rooms. Khalid’s niece said, “This is the perfect farmhouse getaway” and went ahead to transfer RO 120 as a deposit to the polite owner of the Instagram account, only to realise it was a well-crafted and planned scam.
Though she was excited, felt comfortable with the owner of the Instagram account and transferred the money requested, yet within a few minutes later, especially after the owner of the Instagram account confirmed to have received the money, she noticed something strange.
First, those rapid, polite and kind responses stopped. Second, her account was blocked. Third, the mobile number she was given was suddenly switched off. It was then that she realised that she was tricked/scammed. When Khalid explained to me the incident, I told him, She is not alone and unfortunately her story is not unique. I therefore decided to write an article about it.
Popular social media and networking apps, as well as messaging platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and WhatsApp, have become integrated into our daily lives. Virtually everyone today is using these apps to communicate, do business and stay connected and/or updated with the latest news.
On the other hand, hackers, mischief-makers and scammers have found creative ways to exploit people’s trust and excitement. Farmhouse rental scams have become increasingly common across the region, especially during weekends, public holidays and festive seasons when families and youth are searching for leisure getaways. I can confidently tell you that Khalid’s niece’s incident is just a drop in the sea here in Muscat, let alone the entire region. Despite the repeated warnings from authorities on social media frauds, many people continue to encounter and be scammed.
Scammers have learnt to create convincing profiles, steal photos and videos from legitimate listings and pose as owners of attractive farmhouse properties. They rely on emotional triggers, eg, excitement, urgency and trust. Once the victim (eg, Khalid’s niece) is convinced, they ask for a “deposit” to secure the booking. The moment the transfer of money is successful, they stop communicating with the victim, block and delete the account and ultimately vanish.
The strange part is that despite most of the victims being smart, educated and cautious (Khalid’s niece being a university student as well), scammers continue to succeed. Why? Because they use psychology, not just technology. Scammers are often skilled at manipulating emotions and perceptions. They build trust quickly by using polite communication, attractive visuals and fake positive reviews that make their offers seem genuine. To pressure their victims, they create a sense of urgency, claiming that other people are asking for the same place or that only one slot is left. Many even use real businesses' logos to appear authentic.
So how can one protect themselves? First, verify the identity of the owner to ensure the place is real and that the person actually has access to it. Second, check the account’s history carefully for signs such as a recent creation date, limited posts, or generic comments that sound repetitive or automated. Lastly, do not transfer money without proper verification. I would recommend utilising trusted booking platforms (eg, Booking.com, Airbnb, or the like) and ensuring secure payment systems are in place. As a bonus, check reviews or consult other people/guests for recommendations.
Online platforms have made our lives more convenient but also more vulnerable. My friend’s niece is a painful reminder that in today’s digital world, trust must be verified, not assumed. Until we catch up again next week, I urge you to stay safe and smart, but remember that protecting your money online starts with protecting your trust.
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