The City by the Sea is a tourist destination year-round. Unfortunately, the allure can also be a breeding ground for criminals looking to capitalize on eager vacationers. On Jan. 14, Long Beach resident Kyle Savage was arrested in connection with a fraud scheme involving a short-term rental property.
In Sept. 2025, around the time of the Ryder Cup golf tournament held at Bethpage Black golf course in Farmingdale, Savage allegedly listed one property on the vacation booking website VRBO — Vacation Rentals By Owner. After securing payment from a pair of out-of-state prospective renters — one from New Jersey and one from Iowa — Savage allegedly performed a type of bait and switch, removing the initial listing from the site and offering to book a discounted private rental.
Both parties accepted the offer, paid for the new arrangement, and received short-term rental agreements. Savage then allegedly cancelled the bookings just two hours before their expected check-in time, after both parties had arrived in New York, citing an unauthenticated water main break at the location. Savage then allegedly severed communication with both parties and did not provide refunds for the booked private rental.
The Long Beach Police Department maintains an ongoing commitment to fully investigating and prosecuting rental fraud schemes that target visitors to the city. If convicted of the felony charges — two counts of grand larceny in the third degree — Savage faces a potential sentence of up to 14 years.
A representative from VRBO explained that their standard policy in the event of a last-minute host cancellation is to work to relocate the guest in a comparable, local alternative. They couldn’t discuss specifics of the case leading to Savage’s arrest and were unclear whether alternative accommodations were made or offered for the guests’ initial cancellation in September.